Sudden Rains Never Last Long:
But when the Air grows thick by Degrees, and the
Sun, Moon, and Stars shine dimmer and dimmer, then
it is like to rain six Hours usually.
RAIN is, properly speaking, a Multitude of small watery Drops, falling
from the upper Air at different Seasons. When the upper Regions become
cold of a sudden, the watery Clouds are condensed and fall in hasty
Showers. It is observed that mountainous Countries have mos
the Reason seems to be the Winds driving the Clouds against the Rocks
and Hills, and thereby compressing them in such a Manner, that they are
immediately dissolved, and fall as it were at once. This is the Reason
that in Lancashire there falls twice as much Rain as in Essex, and
it is probably from the same Cause, that in the Ocean, over-against the
mountainous Coast of Guinea, showers sometimes fall as it were by
Pailfuls.
THIS Observation of our Shepherd is very just and reasonable, and I
dare say will hardly ever fail such as observe it. The Dimness of the
Stars and other heavenly Bodies, is one of the surest Signs of very
rainy Weather. It is likewise to be observed that when the Stars look
bigger than usual, and are pale and dull and without Rays, this
undoubtedly indicates that the Clouds are condensing into Rain, which
will very soon fall; and it has been observed that when the Air grows
thick by Degrees, and the Light of the Sun lessens so as not to be
discerned at all, and again when the Moon or Stars have the same
Appearances, a continued Rain for at least six Hours is sure to follow.
TO be the better informed in such Cases, it is best to have Recourse to
a variety of Signs, for it is not only the Clouds and Sky, or the Sun,
Moon, and Stars, that gives us previous Notice of rainy Weather, but
almost every Thing in the Creation, and Vegetables particularly. As for
Instance, the Pimpernel, which is a very common flower, shuts itself up
extremely close against rainy Weather. In like manner the Trefoil
swells in the Stalk against Rain, so that it stands up very stiff, but
the Leaves droop and hang down. Even the most solid Bodies are affected
by this Change of the Atmosphere, for Stones seem to sweat, and Wood
swells, the Air driving the moist Particles with which it is filled
into the Pores of dry Wood especially, makes it swell prodigiously, and
this is the Reason the Doors and Windows are hard to shut in rainy
Weather.
THIS is so true, that there has been a Method found of dividing
Mill-stones by the mere Force of the Air, which is done in this Manner.
They divide a Block of this kind of Stone as big as a large rolling
Stone, into as many Parts as they design to make Millstones, and in the
Circles where this Block is to be divided, they pierce several Holes,
which they fill with allow Wood dried in an Oven, and expose the Stone
to the Air, in moist Weather; when the Wood swells to such a Degree as
to split the Stone as effectually, as if it was by iron Wedges driven
by Sledge-Hammers. This curious and extraordinary Method of dividing
Mill-stones is related by the famous Mr. Ozanam of his own Knowledge.
More
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When The Wind Turns To North East
When the Wind turns to North East, and it continues two Days without Rain, and does not turn South the third Day, nor Rain the third Day, it is likely to continue North East for eight or nine Days, all fair; and then to come to the South again. I... Clouds In Summer Or Harvent
In Summer or Harvest, when the Wind has been South two or three Days, and it grows very hot, and you see Clouds rise with great white Tops like Towers, as if one were upon the Top of another, and joined together with ... Clouds Large Like Rocks Great Showers
IN the old Almanacks we have this Sign of the Weather thus expressed. When Clouds appear like Rocks and Towers, The Earth's refresh'd by frequent Showers. THE Reason of this seems to be, that the watery Vapours are then condensed, or co... Clouds: Small And Round Like A Dappley-grey With A North-wind Fair Weather For 2 Or 3 Days
THIS is differently expressed by other Authors. My Lord Bacon tells us, that if Clouds appear white, and drive to the N. W. it is a Sign of several Days fair Weather. OUR old English Almanacks have a Maxim to this Purpose. If woolly Fleeces... Fair Weather For A Week
Fair Weather for a Week, with a Southern Wind, is like to produce a great Drought, if there has been much Rain out of the South before. The Wind usually turns from North to South, with a quiet Wind without Rain, but returns to the North, with a stro... If Cloudy And It Soon Decrease Certain Fair Weather
I Conceive the Reason of this to be, that the Vapours being then specifically lighter than the Air, are still rising upwards, in which they are assisted by the Heat of the Sun Beams, agreeable to the Notion of Dr. Derham, who observes, that after mu... If In The New Moon Rain In The Old
WHEN Exhalations rise copiously from the Earth into the Region of the Air, and the Air itself is in a proper Disposition, they ascend to a great Height, and continue a long Time before they are condensed, which accounts very clearly and philosophica... If In The Old Rain In The New
BUT as it is observed not only in this Climate, but all the World over, that great Changes of Weather happen near the Change of the Moon, it follows that this is the Season when these Exhalations that ascend so plentifully at Sun-rising are condense... If It Begins To Rain An Hour Or Two Before Sun Rising
If it begins to rain an Hour or two before Sun-rising, it is like to be fair before Noon, and so continue that Day, but if the Rain begin an Hour or two after Sun-rising, it is like to Rain all that Day, except the Rainbow be seen before it rains. ... If It Begins To Rain From The South
If it begin to Rain from the South, with a high Wind for two or three Hours, and the Wind falls, but the Rain continues, it is like to rain twelve Hours or more, and does usually rain till a strong North Wind clears the Air. These long Rains seldom ... If It Return To The South Within A Day Or Two Without Rain
If it return to the South within a Day or two without Rain, and turn Northward with Rain, and return to the South, in one or two Days, as before, two or three Times together after this Sort, then it is like to be in the South, or South West, two or ... If It Turn Out Again Out Of The South
If it turn out again out of the South to the North East with Rain, and continues in the North East two Days without Rain, and neither turns South nor rains the third Day, it is like to continue North East for two or three months. The Wind will fi... If Large Clouds Decrease Fair Weather
THE same kind of Reasoning accounts very clearly for this Prognostick, since it shews, that the Vapours are either exhaled by the Sun's Heat, or are driven off by Winds, and so resolved into smaller Clouds, capable of ascending higher in the Atmosph... If October And November Are Full Of Snow And Frost
If October and November be Snow and Frost, then January and February are like to be open and mild. AS this Observation stands on the same Foundation with the last, we need not dwell upon it particularly, and therefore I shall proceed with my form... If Small Clouds Increase Much Rain
THIS and the following Observation cannot well be understood, without giving some Account of Clouds in general. The Atmosphere is supposed to extend itself about five Miles round this Globe of Earth, and within that Space move all kind of Vapours ex... If The Sun Rise Red And Firey Wind And Rain
THE Reason of this Appearance is, because the Sun shines through a large Mass of Vapours, which occasions that red Colour that has been always esteemed a Sign of Rain, especially if the Face of the Sun appear bigger than it ought, for then in a few ... If Two Such Clouds Arise One On Either Hand It Is Time To Make Haste To Shelter
AS this Observation is of the same Nature with the former, we shall continue our Remarks. The Reason why it seldom thunders in Winter is, because the exterior Parts of the Earth are so contracted by the cold Snow and Ice, that Sulphur cannot perspir... If You See A Cloud Rise Against The Wind Or Side Wind
When that Cloud comes up to you, the Wind will blow the same Way that the Cloud came. And the same Rule holds of a clear Place, when all the Sky is equally thick, except one clear Edge. THIS seems to arise from hence, that Wind being nothing more ... Mists If They Rise To The Hill-tops } Rain In A Day Or Two
WHEN Mists are very, heavy in themselves, and rise only by the Action of that protrusive Force, exerted by the subterranean Fire, they can rise no higher than where the Gravitation becomes superior to that protrusive force, for then they descend aga... Mists A General Mist Before The Sun Rises Near The Full Moon Fair Weather
THIS is a general and a very extensive Observation, which enables us to judge of the Weather for about a Fortnight, and there is very great Reason to believe that it will very rarely deceive us. In order to convince the Reader of this, it will be ne... Mists If They Rise In Low Ground And Soon Vanish } Fair Weather
THIS is a sure Sign and very well expressed, that is, clearly, and, in few Words, which is the Excellency of such Aphorisms. In order to be convinced of its good Sense and Certainty, we must consider a little what Mists are, whence they rise, and wh... S W Winds
After a northerly Wind for the most Part two months or more, and then coming South, there are usually three or four fair Days at first, and then, on the fourth or fifth Day, comes Rain, or else the Wind tu... Spring And Summer
If the last eighteen Days of February and ten Days of March be for the most part rainy, then the Spring and Summer Quarters are like to be so too: and I never knew a great ... Sudden Rains Never Last Long:
But when the Air grows thick by Degrees, and the Sun, Moon, and Stars shine dimmer and dimmer, then it is like to rain six Hours usually. RAIN is, properly speaking, a Multitude of small watery Drops, falling from the upper Air at different Seas... Winds Observe That In Eight Years' As Many Wet Years As Dry
THIS must be allowed a very extraordinary Aphorism from a Country Shepherd, but at the same Time it is very agreeable to the Observations of Dr. Hooke, Dr. Derham, Dr. Grew, and other able Naturalists, who with unwearied Pains and Diligence have cal... Winter Time
If the latter End of October and Beginning of November be for the most Part warm and rainy, then January and February are like to be frosty and cold, except after a very dry Summer. IT is very evident, supposing this Obs...