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One person keeping the old tradition of weather forecasting going is Michael Gallagher from Glenfin. Michael's forty years as a postman has given him an opportunity to meet some of the older people (particularly from the Croaghs) who still know a thing or two about predicting the weather. In the past, people in rural Ireland, who depended so much on the weather for sowing, reaping and harvesting of crops had a fairly reliable system of their own to predict the weather. They understood that all life on earth depended on the sun so they looked to the sun and planets, wind and water, bird and beast which all depended on the sun, for guidelines. The heavenly bodies were studied very carefully by our forefathers for any changes in the weather. Michael explains that the outline of mountains against the horizon and their ever-changing hues from day to day portrayed to the people of the Croaghs the type of weather that could be expected. "A blue haze on them meant heat, while mist meant rain. The outline of Cruach na mBoc or Gaigin appearing further away in the distance meant fair weather." It wasn't just the mountains that were a signal of weather conditions. Frogs, insects, bats, bees, butterflies, birds and animals by their outward appearances, moods or movements, indicated the weather that could be expected in the days or weeks ahead. The cat was regarded in ancient Egypt as sacred, but in the Cruacha it was regarded as prophetic as regards weather. The moon The moon played an important part in predicting weather. The moon in all its phases was a great weather guide for the past generations. Birds Michael also found that people looked to birds and insects for indications of weather patterns to come. "Our feathered friends are most sensitive to changes, and people who study them minutely can foretell changes in weather conditions. Insects Insects, slugs, butterflies, bees and frogs are sensitive to changes of weather. Buy the book Michael has amassed a lifetimes worth of knowledge for local weather predictions and has wisely catalogued all of the stories, tips and advice in his new book 'Tuar na hAimsire - Traditional Weather Signs'. You can order a copy from his website www.michaelgallagher.ie. It is great that old wisdom is not dying out but thanks to Michael it is accessible to a new generation. Perhaps if I had bought the book earlier, I would have got some snow chains in time for the big freezeTrackback(0)
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When I was younger, I was told that pine cones could forecast the weather as they change shape according to whether it is wet or dry. In dry weather, pine cones open out as the scales shrivel up and stand out stiffly. When it is damp, they absorb moisture and as the scales become flexible again, the cone returns to its normal shape. I used to keep a fir cone near my back door and they were pretty reliable. Nature is good like that and can give us far more indications of the weather, not only for that day, but for the whole year. Problem is that most of us have lost the art of seeing the signs.
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•Seagull sit on the sand, it’s never fine weather when you’re on the land.
•Scarlet pimpernel flowers are sensitive to changes in the air, opening when it is dry but closing when it accumulates moisture, presently to be discharged as rain.
•If bubbles form in puddles and float for a little while, rain will persist. If no bubbles form or they burst immediately, rain will pass.
•When the cows are laying down in the field it will likely rain.
•Circle around the moon, rain or snow soon.
•Red sky in the morning, sailors take warning. Or:
•Red sky at night, sailors delight.
•Red sky at night, shepherds delight
•red sky in the morning shepherds warning
•When the leaves on a tree curl or show the underside it is going to rain
•"Mackerel scales lower the sails." (Mackerel scales is referring to the look of the clouds, it is going to get windy.)
•Check the grass for dew at sunrise. If the grass is dry, this indicates clouds or strong breezes, which can mean rain. If there's dew, it probably won't rain that day.
•Take a deep breath. Close your eyes and smell the air.
1.Plants release their waste in a low pressure atmosphere, generating a smell like compost and indicating an upcoming rain.
2.March ground will release gasses just before a storm because of the lower pressure, which leads to unpleasant smells.
3.A proverb says "Flowers smell best just before a rain." Scents are stronger in moist air, associated with rainy weather.
•If the cattle are heavy coated, it is going to be a hard winter.
•The day of the month of the first snowfall will determine how many times it will snow that year. This number includes flurries.
•Winter will be cold or mild based on how thick the husks are on the years corn crop.
•When leaves show their undersides, be very sure that rain betides.
•Teeth, knees, hands, joints hurt. Some people swear they can predict rain based on their aches and pains. This could be due to a fall in barometric pressure, which causes blood vessels to dilate slightly, enabling a storm to affect everything from bones and joints to muscles and sinuses.
I’m sure there are loads more ways people have found to predict the weather. I’m thankful were in a country that needs predictions. Wouldn’t it be a bit boring if we had sunshine all of the time?