"WEATHER CLUES FROM NATURE"
Most animals are vulnerable to environmental changes that humans often can't detect. Swallows flying low may indicate the air
pressure is dropping. Falling pressure may affect the digestive
system of cows, making them less willing to go to pasture, causing
them to lie down. Static electricity may increase the grooming
activities of cats. The calls of some birds, including crows and
geese, have been known to be more frequent with falling pressure.
Deer and elk sometimes react to wind and air pressure by coming down from mountains and seeking shelter. Some species from rabbits to rattlesnakes to certain kinds of fish may feed more before a storm so they can seek shelter.
Some flowers close up as the humidity rises so rain doesn't wash
away their pollen. The leaves of some trees curl just before a storm.
The higher the humidity, the better sound travels. Some English
people gauged the chances of rain by the clarity with which they
heard church bells sound.
A drop in barometric pressure often affects people with joint
diseases, bad teeth, recently healed broken bones, or corns and
bunions, bringing pain or pressure to those areas of the body.
Cicadas can't vibrate their wings when the humidity is very high, so may be silent when rain is approaching. Flying insects are more
active when the air pressure drops and stay closer to the ground, so they seem to be swarming before a rain storm.
The chirping of a cricket has been shown to provide a close
indication of air temperature. By counting the number of cricket
chirps in a 14-second period and adding 40, the total will equal the
air temperature to within one degree 75% of the time.
Most animals are vulnerable to environmental changes that humans often can't detect. Swallows flying low may indicate the air
pressure is dropping. Falling pressure may affect the digestive
system of cows, making them less willing to go to pasture, causing
them to lie down. Static electricity may increase the grooming
activities of cats. The calls of some birds, including crows and
geese, have been known to be more frequent with falling pressure.
Deer and elk sometimes react to wind and air pressure by coming down from mountains and seeking shelter. Some species from rabbits to rattlesnakes to certain kinds of fish may feed more before a storm so they can seek shelter.
Some flowers close up as the humidity rises so rain doesn't wash
away their pollen. The leaves of some trees curl just before a storm.
The higher the humidity, the better sound travels. Some English
people gauged the chances of rain by the clarity with which they
heard church bells sound.
A drop in barometric pressure often affects people with joint
diseases, bad teeth, recently healed broken bones, or corns and
bunions, bringing pain or pressure to those areas of the body.
Cicadas can't vibrate their wings when the humidity is very high, so may be silent when rain is approaching. Flying insects are more
active when the air pressure drops and stay closer to the ground, so they seem to be swarming before a rain storm.
The chirping of a cricket has been shown to provide a close
indication of air temperature. By counting the number of cricket
chirps in a 14-second period and adding 40, the total will equal the
air temperature to within one degree 75% of the time.
