Natural Bad Weather Indicators

Good weather can make or break a backcountry outing. Despite assurances from the weatherman it's a good idea to keep a "weather eye" open.

These tips will help you predict the day's weather.

A wide ring (corona) around the moon is indicative of rain on the way. A halo, or corona,  around the moon is caused by the refraction of the moon's light by ice crystals at high altitude. This type of high-level moisture is the precursor to related moisture moving in at lower levels, and thus is a good indicator that an active weather system is on its way. This high, thick cirrostratus cloud is a clear indicator of an approaching low.

A sudden intensification of smells. If the forest all of a sudden you're in for rain. Moist air carries smell better than dry air and many plants release oils when the humidity climbs.

When the ditch and pond offend the nose,
Then look out for rain and stormy blows.

Red sky in morning, hiker take warning. Beautiful sunrises are an indicator of rain. If the morning skies are red, it is because clear skies to the east permit the sun to light the undersides of moisture-bearing clouds coming in from the west. The sun's light is passing at a very low angle through a great thickness of atmosphere, the result of which is the scattering out of most of the greens, blues, and violets of the visible color spectrum. Sunlight is heavy at the red end of the spectrum.

Pine cones with soft scales. They're soft because they're  absorbing water, in the form of humidity. Rain's on the way. Pine cones are one of the most reliable of natural weather indicators and have been used to forecast the weather by many cultures. When it is damp, they absorb moisture and as the scales become flexible again, the cone returns to its normal shape.

Smoke low to the ground. Smoke particles tend to absorb moisture from the air. The more moisture present in the air, the more a particle of smoke will absorb, and the heavier it gets. Heavy, moisture-laden smoke particles do not disperse as easily as the lighter, dry ones do.

Stars appearing blue mean rain is on the way. Water vapor in the air absorbs the red and green light making stars twinkle blue.

Mares Tails. Wispy  clouds high in the sky mean rain is on the way. These are high-level ice clouds that often precede the approach of a storm system.

If you're tired of lousy weather then

Click here for GOOD weather indicators

The  Plug

This website is up and running because of your assistance. If you find this information helpful please help me continue helping you by visiting the sponsors links.

Sponsors Links