It Wasn't a Dark and Stormy Night Quiz

Answer: Easterly

Winds from the east have long been associated with coming storms. This is because of the rotation of low pressure systems in the Northern Hemisphere. In the Bible, Moses calls on the East Wind to bring a plague to Egypt, demonstrating that people had the ability to read weather from the environment long before modern instruments.

Answer: low

Low pressure causes the air to move inwards, and then rise. Rising air causes moisture to condense, which eventually forms rain. This is why you will often see the weatherman talk about an incoming low pressure system bringing rain.

Answer: The way the smoke rises

If the smoke does not rise in a steady manner, and instead rises a little, swirls around, and also falls towards the ground, it indicates low pressure in the air, and can signal coming rain. The dampness of the logs can only indicate if it rained recently, not if it will rain again!

Answer: Dew on the ground indicates clear weather

Although it seems counter-intuitive, if there is dew covered grass in the morning the weather is more likely to be clear as it indicates clear skies overnight have allowed the temperature to drop and caused dew to form. If the grass is dry it is probably because there are a lot of clouds or a strong breeze in the area, signalling stormy weather.

Answer: Humid environments enhance your sense of smell

Scents are stronger in moist, humid air, like the air that occurs before a rain. This is because water molecules absorb organic compounds that humans and animals smell, and bring them closer to our noses. If you have ever farted while in the shower, you will know stuff smells stronger in a wet environment!

Answer: low

Low clouds, like the cumulonimbus clouds that are so familiar to everyone as thunderclouds, indicate impending bad weather. High clouds mean that rain will not come that day, although certain types may be forecasting rain within two or three days.

Answer: High pressure

The red sky is caused by dust and other particles being caught in the Earth's atmosphere by high pressure, meaning the sky appears red rather than blue. This is an indicator of a high pressure system approaching which is likely to lead to pleasant weather.

Conversely, seeing the red sky in the morning means that the high pressure system has probably passed and that wetter weather is on its way.

Answer: Number of fish swimming in the area

The swell of the ocean is the big waves that proceed over a long distance and period of time. These can be different or completely opposite from the local ripples and current. The swell of the ocean is formed by winds persisting over a longer period of time and blowing over a long distance, sometimes hundreds of miles away from you.

Answer: If the ocean surface under the cloud is black it is a strong wind

A dark shadow under a cloud indicates a strong wind, while the distant shadow having the same color as the ocean near you indicates a lighter wind and clearer weather. If there are no clouds to cast a shadow, there will be no rain!

Answer: Sooner

If the halo forms a tight ring around the moon, then rain is probably still a long way off. If the halo forms a wide ring then rain will be near. Once a cloud moves in and the moon loses its outline, the rain is imminent.

Answer: Light refracted by ice crystals in the sky

Moisture laden clouds that may or not be visible in the sky contain ice crystals from condensed water. These crystals refract light that shines through and creates the halo-like effect.

Answer: Clear skies allowing heat to evaporate into space

Cloudy skies do not allow heat to escape into space, as heat is absorbed and re-radiated by the cloud. Fog can only form on these summer days when the sky is sufficiently clear to allow heat to escape into space. Fog in the winter, however, gives a much different weather reading!

Answer: Lots of birds sitting on power lines can indicate an approaching low pressure system and a storm

In contrast to other animals who may make a sound to warn of incoming weather like a tornado, birds tend to be quiet during the lead-up to a storm. When birds fly high, it indicates clear weather. Low flying or landed birds indicate a system of low pressure in the area, which affects birds in flight. Lots of birds on the ground, on wires, and in trees usually indicates a coming storm.

Answer: False

Porpoises and dolphins and other animals that lack gills will often seek calmer water like the water in a harbor during a storm. The choppy seas during a storm may make it hard for the animal to come up and breathe, so they seek shelter in a natural harbor.

Answer: Modern technology is always better and more accurate than non-instrument weather predictions

As anyone who has watched the weather on the news should know, even with the vast improvement in weather technology, the weather people are never 100% accurate. In some cases non-instrument weather prediction can be more accurate than instrument based prediction.

In a short time frame, like predicting the weather for tomorrow, someone skilled in using traditional folk methods may be just as accurate as the weatherman!