whether the weather: blog 
whether the weather's blog
look and listen
by IrishiiiPublished February 16, 2009
Views: 159
Who needs all those fancy computers and scientific instruments? Just look out the window!
Despite the fact I woke up and saw little snowflakes blowing through the air this morning, spring is on the way (I wish it would hurry up and get here already!) Here are a few weather folklore statements which are remarkably accurate. If you know of any more, please share!
Crickets really can tell you the temperature
The frequency of chirping varies according to temperature. To get a rough estimate of the temperature in degrees fahrenheit, count the number of chirps in 15 seconds and then add 37. The number you get will be very close to the outside air temperature.
When you hear the rooster crow at night- rain is in sight
A bird's feathers are very susceptible to slight changes in the air, such as humidity and pressure. If it begins to get humid at night, and the pressure drops, it's common for a rooster to become uncomfortable, wake up and crow. (Increased humidity and low pressure are indicators of possible precipitation).
Rain or sunshine - look at the Morning Glory
As with a rooster, the petals of the Morning Glory react to air pressure and humidity – with wide open blooms indicating fine weather and shut petals predicting rain and bad weather.
How far away is the lightning?
The speed of sound varies depending on the humidity and temperature; but for a round number, it's about 1200 ft/second. So sound travels 1 mile in roughly 5 seconds.
When you see the flash of lightning, you can start counting seconds and then divide by 5 to see how far away the lightning struck. If it takes 10 seconds for the thunder to roll in, the lightning struck about 2 miles away.
Saftey tip! If you can hear thunder, you can be struck by lightning, even if it is clear outside. Ever heard of a Bolt from the Blue? The sound of thunder usually disipates by about 15 miles.
Filed under: Weather
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