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General Weather/Earth Sciences Topics => Weather Folklore => Topic started by: xykotik on June 11, 2011, 11:19:27 PM

Title: Red sky at night, sailor's delight
Post by: xykotik on June 11, 2011, 11:19:27 PM

This forum has been an icicle for months.  I thought I would make it a sunrise.  8-)

Excerpt from a larger article at the Library of Congress website...
http://www.loc.gov/rr/scitech/mysteries/weather-sailor.html (http://www.loc.gov/rr/scitech/mysteries/weather-sailor.html)

Red sky at night, sailors delight.
(http://www.loc.gov/rr/scitech/mysteries/images/sunset.jpg)
When we see a red sky at night, this means that the setting sun is sending its light through a high concentration of dust particles. This usually indicates high pressure and stable air coming in from the west. Basically good weather will follow.

Red sky in morning, sailor’s warning.
(http://www.loc.gov/rr/scitech/mysteries/images/sunrise.jpg)
A red sunrise reflects the dust particles of a system that has just passed from the west. This indicates that a storm system may be moving to the east. If the morning sky is a deep fiery red, it means a high water content in the atmosphere. So, rain is on its way.

Title: Re: Red sky at night, sailor's delight
Post by: Farmtalk on June 11, 2011, 11:22:11 PM

I'm gonna start finding folklores to write on here.

Title: Re: Red sky at night, sailor's delight
Post by: Downlinerz2 on June 11, 2011, 11:27:12 PM

   Unless their is a wildfire burning nearby at the time! #-o ;) :grin:
    Mark

Title: Re: Red sky at night, sailor's delight
Post by: xykotik on June 11, 2011, 11:36:57 PM

Yeah, I hate those nautical wildfires.

The LOC article is a good one.  It gives citations from Shakespeare and The Bible referring to the lore.

I'm suddenly thinking of Hemmingway's "The Old Man and the Sea" for some reason.  I recommend it to James and the other youngins.  It's a short book.

Title: Re: Red sky at night, sailor's delight
Post by: Downlinerz2 on June 11, 2011, 11:43:44 PM

   I was looking at it as we do here on the shore of  Lake Erie.  We look for the "red sky" from on-shore to see what is in store.
     Mark

Title: Re: Red sky at night, sailor's delight
Post by: Downlinerz2 on June 11, 2011, 11:46:46 PM

   Here is a variant on your folklore:

       •Evening red and morning gray will set the traveler on his way/But evening gray and morning red will bring down rain upon his head

     this one is for land-lovers.
     Mark

Title: Re: Red sky at night, sailor's delight
Post by: Farmtalk on June 24, 2011, 05:27:06 PM

Nice! I havent heard that one! I am amazed at how accurate folklore can be! :grin:

Title: Re: Red sky at night, sailor's delight
Post by: hobobuster on October 22, 2011, 09:29:18 PM

Love The Old Man and the Sea. One of my favorites.

Title: Re: Red sky at night, sailor's delight
Post by: Farmtalk on October 23, 2011, 06:16:28 PM

Talking about the story? Never read it, but I hear it is very good.

Title: Re: Red sky at night, sailor's delight
Post by: hobobuster on October 23, 2011, 06:32:11 PM

Yeah, Hemmingway is one of my favorites.

Title: Re: Red sky at night, sailor's delight
Post by: Farmtalk on October 23, 2011, 06:50:04 PM

Not trying to get off topic, but is it a difficult read? I might try it soon

Title: Re: Red sky at night, sailor's delight
Post by: hobobuster on October 23, 2011, 07:39:16 PM

Not really, I had a bit of a lapse at first, trying to get into it, but once I really put myself in the shoes of the fisherman, it changed the whole perspective, and I couldn't put it down. It is very short, but still a page-turner ;)

Title: Re: Red sky at night, sailor's delight
Post by: Farmtalk on October 23, 2011, 07:48:41 PM

Ok! I might check that out!!! :grin: