_Mists._--A white Mist in the evening over a meadow with a river, will
be drawn up by the sun next morning, and the day will be bright; five
or six Fogs successively drawn up portend rain; when there are lofty
hills, and the mist which hangs over the lower lands draws towards the
hills in the morning, and rolls up to the top, then it will be fair,
but if the mist hangs upon the hills, and drags along the woods, there
will be rain.
_Clouds._--Against much rain the clouds grow bigger and increase very
fast, especially before thunder. When the clouds are formed like
fleeces, but dense in the middle and bright towards the edges, with a
bright sky, they are signs of frost, with hail, snow or rain. If clouds
breed high in the air, with white trains like locks of wool, they
portend wind, probably rain. When a generally cloudiness covers the
sky, and small black fragments of clouds fly underneath, they are sure
signs of rain, and probably it may last some time. Two currents of air
always portend rain, and in Summer, thunder.
_Dew._--If the dew lies plentifully upon the grass after a fair day, it
is a sign of another; if not, and there is no wind, rain must follow. A
red evening shews fine weather, but if it spread too far upwards from
the horizon in the evening, and especially in the morning, it fortells
wind or rain, or both. When the sky in rainy weather is tinged with sea
green, the rain will increase; if with blue, it will be showery.
_Heavenly Bodies._--A haziness in the air which fades the sun light and
makes the orb appear whiteish or ill defined, or at night if the moon
and stars grow dim and a ring encircles the former, rain will follow.
If the Sun's rays appear like Moses' horn, white at setting or shorn of
his rays, or goes down into a bank of clouds in the horizon, bad
weather may be expected. If the moon looks pale and dim, rain may be
expected; if red, wind; and if her natural colour, with a fair clear
sky, fine weather; if the moon is rainy throughout, it will clear at
the change, and perhaps the rain return a few days after. If fair
throughout, and rain at the change, the fair weather will probably
return at the fourth or fifth day.
_Wind._--If the wind veers much about, rain is certain; in changing, if
it follows the course of the sun, it brings fair weather; the contrary,
foul; whistling of the wind is a sure sign of rain.
_Meteors._--The Aurora Borealis after warm days is generally succeeded
by cooler air; shooting stars are supposed to indicate rain.
_Animals._--Before rain, swallows fly low; dogs grow sleepy and eat
grass; waterfowl dive much; fish will not bite; flies are more than
ordinary troublesome; toads crawl about; moles, ants, bees and insects
are very busy; birds fly low for insects; swine, sheep and cattle are
uneasy; and it is not without its effect on the human frame.
_Weather Table._--The following table, ascribed to Dr. Herschel, and
revised by Dr. Adam Clark, constructed upon philosophical consideration
of the sun and moon, in their several positions respecting the earth,
and confirmed by experience of many years actual observation, furnishes
the observer without further trouble, with the knowledge of what kind
of weather may be expected to succeed, and that so near the truth, that
in a very few instances will it be found to fail.
_Observation by Dr. Kirwan._--When there has been no particular storm
about the time of the Spring Equinox (March 21st); if a storm arises
from the east on or before that day, or if a storm from any point of
the compass arise near a week after the Equinox, then in either of
these cases the succeeding Summer is generally dry four times in five,
but if the storm arises from the S.W. or W.S.W. on or just before the
Spring Equinox, then the Summer following is generally wet five times
in six.