Weather forecasting

[freefall]

What I'm having the most trouble with is cloud identification with the various subtypes of cirrus, stratus and cumulus clouds - anyone know a good way to learn those?

Back before I switched my major from meteorology to business, this was one of the things I had trouble with as well. Here’s how I got them down.

Stratus basically is sheeted or stretched out clouds and cumulus are better defined individual clouds. The rest, for the most part is about altitude.

Cirrus or the cirro- prefix refers to the highest clouds (16,000-43,000 ft in middle latitudes.)

1. Cirrus- wispy “mares tales”, most common high altitude, usually indicates fair weather
2. Cirrocumulus- “mackerel sky”, small rounded puffs
3. Cirrostratus- thin, sheeted, can indicate precipitation in 12-24 hours, halo possible

Alto- refers to middle level clouds (6,500-23,000 ft.)

1. Altocumulus- gray, puffy, larger/ thicker than cirrocumulus
2. Altostratus- gray to blue-gray, covers large area, can give “watery sun” look, does not produce halos

Low clouds (ground to 6,500 ft)

1. Stratus- fog that does not reach ground, usually covers entire sky, uniform gray
2. Nimbostratus- dark gray, produces light to moderate, steady precipitation
3. Stratocumulus- lumpy, in patches, light to dark gray, larger individuals than altocumulus

Vertical development (from 2000 typically-over 23,000 ft.)

1. Cumulus- floating cotton, sharp outlines and flat base, detached, some vertical
2. Cumulonimbus- large vertical development, anvil, can be single or wall cloud, moderate to heavy precipitation

[beartripper]

I also have some books on cloud idenification. When I hike in the mountains it is sometimes hard to see enough of the sky to get an idea of just what coulds they are. While duck hunting around Dyerburg TN which is very close to the Mississippi River I could see the sky for a very long way. This helped me in my ID of clouds.
One day there was a ring around the Sun.

[Wise Old Owl]

I just ask myself. Am I wet? If so there's a decent chance it's raining.

What if you swim across a river?

[mudhead]

ISBN # 0-679-40851-7

Freefall did a good explanation, but I can get confused even with the diagram to go with the terms.

Plenty of in depth description, good for the bookcase as a reference.

I once lived where there was a feedlot 20 miles east. If you caught a wiff, it was going to rain.

[10-K]

ISBN # 0-679-40851-7

Freefall did a good explanation, but I can get confused even with the diagram to go with the terms.

Plenty of in depth description, good for the bookcase as a reference.

I once lived where there was a feedlot 20 miles east. If you caught a wiff, it was going to rain.

Wow, I ordered this very book off Amazon this morning!

[mweinstone]

Does anyone practice weather forecasting skills based on cloud types, wind direction, animal behavior, etc.?

The past few months I've been reading and trying to apply what I've learned by reading various books, primarily "Basic Illustrated Weather Forecasting" by Michael Hodgson.

I did buy an altimeter/barometer as well though I'm trying to avoid using instruments in my predictions.

It's pretty interesting - just wondering if anyone else is into it.

when leaves blow up
when fish swallow rocks
when wind picks up
when temps drop
when skys darken
when hikers run
when bones hurt
when ears clog
when sound carrys further
when birds go nuts
when daylight turns to weirdlight
when bread rises lousy
when dayhikers disapere
when thunder claps
when heat lightning flashes
when rolling papers stick together
when hostels are full at noon
when tang needs scrapeing with a fork to get out of the jar

lots of ways to tell weather without tecnology. lots.

[freefall]

ISBN # 0-679-40851-7

Freefall did a good explanation, but I can get confused even with the diagram to go with the terms.

Plenty of in depth description, good for the bookcase as a reference.

I once lived where there was a feedlot 20 miles east. If you caught a wiff, it was going to rain.

Wow, I ordered this very book off Amazon this morning!

Sorry, thought it was at least a decent explanation in layman's terms. Those were my actual notes from class to help me identify different cloud formations. I could give all the scientific differences but that is not what was originally proposed.
After all, if you have trouble with the 11 or 12 basic ones, the other 20 or so could be difficult.

[Spokes]

Does anyone practice weather forecasting skills based on ....... animal behavior, etc.?

.....

10-K, 2009 was a wet thru hike year and I discovered that whenever I began to see lots of little toads appear on the trail rain was not far in the offing. Seriously freaky! Apparently toads can predict earthquakes however.

Does Michael Hodgson say anything about that?

[fredmugs]

I've noticed that it rains about an hour into a hike when the weather channel indicates no rain.

[shelterbuilder]

"Pocket Weather Trends" c.1974 by Weather Trends, Inc.
An over-sized pocket reference "slider" that allows you to make predictions by matching cloud patterns and wind directions for your region and time of year.

"Weathering the Wilderness", c. 1980, by Wm. E. Reifsnyder. ISBN: 87156-266-9.
"intro to weather"; "regional climatologies".

"The Sager Weathercaster", c.1969, by Raymond M. and E.F. Sager.
An actual forecasting tool, to be used in conjunction with a barometer. From my limited experience with it, it seems to be surprisingly accurate within a 12 to 24 hour timeframe.

[10-K]

10-K, 2009 was a wet thru hike year and I discovered that whenever I began to see lots of little toads appear on the trail rain was not far in the offing. Seriously freaky! Apparently toads can predict earthquakes however.

Does Michael Hodgson say anything about that?

Actually yes... he says that frogs come out of the water when an incoming storm is approaching because the increased humidity allows them to keep their skin moist.

[emerald]

It might also save them from being electrocuted!

[Feral Bill]

Halo around the Moon usually means rain/snow the next day.
Worked for me

I have found this to be very reliable.

[ShaneP]

Immediate weather warning signs.

Learn to recognize down drafts. That much cooler breeze that suddenly approaches from the direction of heavy clouds. this is air falling off of the top of rapidly building thunderstorms from convection. Probably will start raining hard pretty soon.

Wall cloud light; usually described as green, yellow, or weird air. This is light reflected off of a wall cloud, often at the front of a supercell. Seek shelter immediately.

Hairs standing up on your arms...get off of the bald. I've seen a womans long hair stand all the way straight up on a boat.


S

[Spokes]

Actually yes... he says that frogs come out of the water when an incoming storm is approaching because the increased humidity allows them to keep their skin moist.

Amazing! Now I know I'm not going crazy.

When I told people that they looked at me as if I said I'd been abducted by aliens and my belly button was sore from the large needle they used to take samples of .......... We'll that's a another story.

Thanks for an interesting thread!

[Spokes]

.....I've seen a womans long hair stand all the way straight up on a boat.

YouTube link please!

[ShaneP]

YouTube link please!

Sorry, pre-tubes experience.

We were on a ferry going from Cedar Point to Ocracoke and there were low dark clouds all over the place, but no lightning. You could feel every hair on your body standing up, and then the hair on our heads started going up. One of our group had really long hair and when it started lifting into the sky, we figured it was time to go into the cabin areas. It also erased all of the cards in my wallet.


S

[Spokes]

....... Drats!

[Wise Old Owl]

OK glad we have that all cleared up... like a teen with an acne problem,,,,,

[10-K]

Cloud question:

I watched a bunch of cumulus clouds turn into nimbocumulus clouds. Then, as the wind picked up and before it started raining, all of the nimbocumulus clouds bunched up and the sky became a solid gray.

Did the nimbocumulus clouds morph into stratus clouds (they were at the same altitude)?

Bigger question on same theme: Can a cloud of 1 type convert to another type or do clouds dissipate and get replaced by different types?