Become Your Own Weather Forecaster

I think observing clouds for short-term moisture forecasting is only half the issue, though, with gardening -- clouds may indicate upcoming rain or cold fronts passing through, but I think a big key with vegetation especially in the fall or spring is being able to tell when temperatures may get low enough for a frost or freeze, or when an extended period of drought or extremely high temperatures are coming up so that you have time to prepare. That's definitely important for making sure you prep your irrigation system so hoses don't freeze or get damaged.

As a side note, two cool cloud formations not mentioned in the Instructable are Mammatus clouds (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mammatus_cloud) and Lenticular clouds (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lenticular_cloud). Some people even mistake lenticular clouds for UFOs!

Many years ago, my father-in-law told me about "mare tails",light, whispy clouds. He told me of rain with in the next 24 hrs. My Dad told me about count the stars within the halo around the moon will tell how many days til rain.  I have heard about the "red sky" all my life, too.

I think that the best way to make it rain is to wash your car............

Mike Sloan

@elmtree
I've heard the halo around the moon trick, too! But whenever there's a halo around the moon here, most of the time it means rain or snow the next day.

@msloan01
Ha! Washing my truck does two things (1) makes it rain and (2) attracts every bird that has eaten pokeberries within a 10 mile radius.

@computeraddict04
My relatives out in Colorado tell me that pink clouds in the evening definitely mean snow the next day.

@elmtree
I learned the halo around the moon means a windy day in the forecast.

I agree, @msloan1. It seems that every time we wash our car, it definitely rains. :) And the bird droppings too, @computeraddict04!

Thanks for sharing!

Daphne
MrL Blog Manager

"Red sky in the morning sailors take warning, red sky at night, sailors delight."  I don't remember who told that to me but it always made me chuckle.  Don't think it's very accurate either :)

@Daphne

That reminds me of another saying here around NC: If you hear thunder during winter, then it will snow within 10 days.

@Jason, my understanding is that the truth in the "red sky" saying relates to the amount of dust particles in the air.  A large amount of dust causes a deep red sunrise or sunset.  It also increases the chance of rain.  So a red sunset meant it would rain overnight, but a red sunrise meant sailors would be setting out in stormy weather that day.

I would of never know that theory with the clouds..however I can tell if there is going to be a big storm or a passer-by storm by the looks of the clouds.  Clouds to me can be very mysterious..

My grandfather used to always point out the cloud types to us and got me initially interested in this. Here in New Jersey we are starting an early spring like much of the U.S. I already have my system started in the front year. Made it through its first winter- albeit an easy one! We are in an extreme dry spell right now even as the plants are popping- and so they need Mr. Landscaper! In fact, there are forest fires nearby due to the weather conditions. I am not sure if clouds are helpful to predicting weather for me here since often in the pine barrens only a small portion of the sky can be seen reliably. Today is quite cloudy. But no rain so far. So I am irrigating. I have noticed however changes in wildlife that correspond to weather and clouds. For example right now I hear the sound of a hawk hunting out back. It's cloudy and a lot of the animals come out when its like this. So they have smaller critters to hunt. Everyone is happy that my birdbath is back up an running for the year! Happy Spring to Mr. Landscaper!
Mary in South Jersey

@computeraddict04
Ten days! I guess back then, they needed to know way in advance!

@jason
My husband is an angler--I say fisherman; he corrects me all the time. I've heard him use that saying many times.

@RichardC
Good insight! Need to tell my husband!

@checkkers
I agree--the clouds can be very mysterious. I love looking at them and trying to see what could they mean.

@brassmom
I've heard of changes in wildlife due to weather and clouds. Everything is definitely interrelated.... Thank you for using MrL products and we will keep your area in our thoughts because of all the forest fires.


Great discussions, everyone! Keep 'em coming. :)

Daphne
MrL Blog Manager

Sounds easy enough...now to remember all the different types of clouds!

I remembered another old saying yesterday when I drove by a farm, and someone commented, "The cows are laying down, that means it is going to rain" -- I've heard that about both cows and horses, and it usually does rain within a day of seeing the cows/horses laying down. Not always, but sometimes.

Great way on telling the weather!

<3 thank you Mr.landscaper! You help me a lot! <3

Great weather predicting tips!

As a Skywarn spotter and CoCoRaHS observer, I'm constantly following the weather. It's nice to know ahead of time how to plan your watering needs.

Am thinking of keeping a gardening journal this year.  Tracking the clouds light be something else I can track in the journal.  We'll see how it goes.