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Fun with Weather

© Mary M. Alward

Today, if we want to know the weather over the next few days, we can turn on the television, radio, or boot up our computers and go the The Weather Network. On that site, you choose the country, state that you're from, then click on the city where you live. Presto! You have access to the local weather for the next week. This information is gathered from giant satellites above the Earth.

Things weren't always so simple. I grew up on a farm during the 1950's. My grandparents didn't have electricity. They couldn't turn on the television or radio to listen to the weather. Instead, they used the signs of nature for weather prediction. This was not uncommon. People have used signs of nature to predict the weather for centuries.

Groundhog Day arrives on February 2nd of each year. The groundhog comes out of his burrow and if he sees his shadow, he hurries back inside for another six weeks. That means winter will not be over until the middle of March. Spring officially begins on March 20th, so this is no great surprise. In southern Ontario, where I live, crops and gardens are never planted before the first full moon in May. Before then, there is always a chance of frost.

There are many signs of nature that let us know what is happening with the weather. If the world suddenly becomes very still, this can predict the onslaught (beginning) of a very bad storm. The silence is eerie when this happens. The air feels very heavy. Birds and animals disappear, making no noise. When this occurs and the sky is a yellowish-green, a tornado is likely, especially if the temperature takes a dramatic plunge. Birds and animals can sense an approaching storm. They head for cover, where they will be safe.

Some people say wooly bears (a type of caterpillar) can predict what kind of winter is approaching. If the caterpillar's fuzz is orange or yellow, it will be a mild winter. If the center is black, the winter will be moderate. If the wooly bear is mostly or all black, the winter will be frigid.

How much snow will we have? Look at how high the pine cones are on the trees. If they're all on the top branches, there will be a lot of snow. If they're growing on the lowest branches, no much snow is expected.

There's lots of little rhymes that people use to predict the weather. Enjoy reading a few.

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