Weather Signs and Rhymes

Transcription

1 3 Weather Signs and Rhymes When we want to find out what the weather will be tomorrow, we usually turn on the radio or TV. But in the time before radio and TV, people also needed to forecast the weather. How did they do it? They d find an outdoor space, look up, look around, and listen.

2 Look Up Red sky at night, Sailor s delight! Red sky in the morning, Sailors take warning! This weather rhyme was written a long time ago, but it still works today. Weather in North America and many other parts of the world moves from west to east. Whatever weather is in the west tonight will probably be with us tomorrow. So a red sky at night, as the sun is setting, usually means there are no clouds coming in from the west, a sign of fair weather for tomorrow. What does a red sky at night usually mean? But a red sky in the morning is most likely to occur when drier air is moving away to the east and moister air is moving in from the west. The moist air could bring clouds, rain, and stormy weather. Weather Signs and Rhymes 15

3 Look Around Animals, insects, and plants are natural forecasters. What happens to some animals when a summer storm approaches? When a summer storm is approaching, you may notice that dogs, cows, horses, and geese grow restless, and frogs and toads come out of their hiding places. These animals don t have some mysterious sixth sense, but they do have super-sensitive hearing. Scientists think the animals hear the low-frequency sound waves made by thunderstorms many miles away. Storm winds may also carry smells from other areas that are detectable to animals long before a storm arrives. The following rhyme shows us how trees can seem to forecast the weather, too. It works especially well with the poplar tree. When leaves show their undersides, Be very certain, rain betides. Tree leaves show their undersides, or seem to turn upside down just before it rains, for a very good reason. In the period before a storm, gusty winds can lift the leaves and show their undersides. 16 Weather Signs and Rhymes

4 Listen If you can hear a cricket, it can tell you the approximate temperature. Just count its chirps for fourteen seconds and then add forty. This will give you the Fahrenheit temperature of the cricket within a very few degrees. Since crickets are cold-blooded, the temperature of the cricket is about the same as the surrounding air. What can you tell from a cricket s chirps? There are many other weather signs and rhymes. Some are reliable, others are not. For example, the thickness of an animal s coat can tell you if the animal is healthy, but it cannot tell you if there will be a cold winter. And whether or not the groundhog sees his shadow on February 2, spring will come at the same time. So learn to predict the weather the way our forefathers did. Get outside, look up, look around, and listen. Soon you ll be your very own weather forecaster. Weather Signs and Rhymes 17

5 Read and Understand Complete the sentences. 1. What is the difference between how people forecast weather in the past and in the present? People in the past forecast weather by looking for weather signs whereas people today listen to given by the media. 2. How do animals know that a summer storm is coming? a. They are able to hear the that thunderstorms make miles away. b. Animals can also detect the from other areas. 3. How do you think a fisherman would feel if he sees a red sky in the morning? Why? He would not be happy because it would mean that there would be weather and it could be for him to be out at sea. 4. Why do some people believe that trees can tell them when a storm is coming? Before the start of a storm, blow and this will their undersides. winds will the leaves and show 18 Weather Signs and Rhymes

6 Write your answers on the lines. 5. What can we learn from observing the behavior of animals? 6. What two examples does the writer provide to show that not all weather signs are reliable? 7. The writer says that in the past, our forefathers would find an outdoor space, look up, look around, and listen. How does the writer try to convince us that we should be following our forefathers? 8. a. You are out walking your dog one evening and it suddenly starts to get restless. What do you think is the cause? b. You wake up one morning and see that the sky is red. Would you take an umbrella with you when you leave the house? Why? Weather Signs and Rhymes 19