#seafarercore

Hello lighthouse keepers, sailors, fishermen, and even pirates! I recently made a post  about predicting the weather while at sea. I mentioned in the post that clouds can also help predict the weather, but didn’t include them for brevity, but I did say I’d make that post another day. Well, today is that day! Consider this your guide for using clouds to anticipate the storms before they happen. (Pictures correlate with the word above them)

Fair Weather Clouds

Cirrus (see-ruhs) clouds are thin and wispy due to the wind blowing them around the sky. They look like this:

Cirrocumulus (see-ruh-kyoo-myuh-luhs) clouds are thin, patchy, and generally rippled or poofy. They generally come out in the winter. They look like this:

Altocumulus (al-tow-kyoo-myuh-luhs) clouds are rippled, fluffy and layered, the layers ranging from white to greyish. They look like this:

Cumulus (kyoo-myuh-luhs) clouds are what you think of when you think of clouds. They’re big, puffy, and come in lots of different shapes. 

Stratus (stra-tus) clouds are thin and sheet-like, and always white and will generally cover most if not all of the sky. 

Stratocumulus (stra-tow-kyoo-myuh-luhs) congregate in honeycomb-esque shapes, and they are patchy white or gray in color. Though these are fair weather clouds, they can indicate a storm is on its way. 

Rain Clouds

Cirrostratus (see-row-stra-tuhs, sur-row-stra-tuhs) clouds also cover the sky, and can cause the halo-ing effect that was mentioned in part 1 of this post. Rain is probable within the next day. 

Altostratus (al-tow-stra-tuhs) clouds are grey, cover the sky, and mean continuous rain.

Nimbostratus (nim-bow-stra-tuhs) clouds are big, puffy, gray, and thick. They’re often so thick they can obscure the sun. These also indicate continuous rain. 

Cumulonimbus (Kyoo-myu-low-nim-bus) clouds are high, towered, puffy and white. They indicate upcoming thunderstorms and are generally accompanied by other cumulus clouds. 

Hello lighthouse keepers, sailors, fishermen, and even pirates! I had an urge today to learn some wisdom from the seafarers of yore and landed on their methods of forecasting the weather, and thought you all might appreciate the knowledge too. Keep in mind these aren’t an exact science, but rather some helpful pointers for predicting weather!

Tip 1: Observe Birds

This isn’t generally as accurate as the following tips, so it’s first on the list. But this was a method used so I did include it. Seabirds will generally congregate inland when a storm is brewing or approaching. If the birds are all on the shore, expect rainfall! There are two sayings to remember this:

“Swallows high, staying dry; swallows low the wet will blow”

“Seabirds stay out from the land, we won’t have good weather while you’re on the sand.” 

Tip 2: Keep an Eye on the Sky

You’ve probably heard the saying “Red sky at night, sailor’s delight; Red sky in the morning, sailors take warning.” A red sky is caused by dust particles hovering in the air, meaning the air is stable and relatively unmoving. If the sky is red at night, it means high pressure systems are moving west, meaning the following day will likely see no rain. Inversely, high pressure system having already moved east generally means the good weather has passed and wet weather will follow.

“Ring around the moon, rain coming soon.” If you see a halo around the sun or moon, it’s light refracting through ice crystals in the sky, meaning moisture, generally meaning rain is approaching. 

Clouds can also help predict the weather but I want to keep this post short and concise so I’ll make another post on clouds another day!

Tip 3: Miscellaneous 

The following generally mean that moisture is in the air, and thus rain is likely

salt gets sticky and gains weight

ropes get shorter and knots tighter

chronic pain and/or arthritis flare up 

And even if rain comes you didn’t expect, let this saying comfort you:

“Rain foretold, long last; Short notice, soon shall pass.”

Nautical Aesthetics↴

Anon’s Fantasy:

muddy boots

a thick cable knit sweater + a black beanie

windburn on your cheeks 

seaside rock walls

the scent of salt + low tide

gazing upon the horizon waiting for your seafarer lover to return

tiny, slightly cramped cottage bedrooms + kitchens

cottages by the sea in general

watching as dark grey clouds overtake the sun 

the ecstatic feeling you get when a friend comes out of town specifically to see you 

long, thin, and winding staircases

your overcoat blowing in the wind

handheld lanterns and candle holders 

clenching a pipe between your teeth 

scruffy white beards

the inherent spookiness/haunted-feeling of old lighthouses 

sea storms and violent waves

stargazing + constellations

dingy old ropes with frayed ends 

seagulls

mismatched tea set you bring out for special occasions/visitors

the remnants of old docks + boardwalks overtaken by the seas + storms

torn and old, but still warm quilts adorning your bed

handmade scarves, hats, mittens, etc. given to you by a lover, mother, grammy, friend, etc.