How to Predict the Weather Without a Forecast

W e have multiple means to learn what the upcoming weather will be like. This info is readily available to us at the touch of a button or by accessing an app. We even have weather radios that tell us when extreme weather events are imminent so that we get to safety and reduce damage as much as possible. But there are situations when you will lack all of these accurate means to tell the weather via the provided forecast. In cases like these, you have to get creative and improvise.

Luckily, there are quite a few ways to predict the weather, even when no forecast is available. So you can tell if a storm is approaching or if weather conditions will likely improve within the following hours. You just have to know how to “read” the weather. And this is what I want to teach you today. A skill like this comes in handy in different situations, but it’s likely most important for those who often go on hikes and camping trips to master it. In these sorts of cases, you need to know how the weather fares, but chances are that you won’t be able to check on the local forecast. Without further ado, let’s learn more about this critical skill.

Girl with Snowflake and Snowman Cutouts

Method #1: Use a Weather Station to Create Your Own Forecast

You don’t have to rely on the weather person’s report to know how to plan your next day. With a weather detection device, you can put together an accurate forecast on your own. This method is most reliable because you get weather-related readings for your specific area, so it’s all hyper-localized. The same isn’t possible with the weather report you get over your phone or from the local weather channel. The stats provided cover the whole area, not your specific location. So if you are looking for a fuller report, go through weather station reviews to pick a model that suits your budget, then use it to create a forecast for your particular area.

Most weather stations pick up a series of weather stats, including wind speed, temperature, UV index, humidity, rain, and more. The information is generally displayed on the console but can also be sent to your PC, laptop, tablet, or phone. Then, you usually use an app to process the data and create the forecast. This is your most accurate method to predict the weather without a forecast.

The only downside is that it’s not necessarily an on-the-go or portable solution. It is usually used to track the weather for agricultural purposes and by those who live in areas with unpredictable weather and want to receive their warning ahead of time in case of an upcoming extreme event. You won’t take the weather station with you in your backpack when you go camping or hiking. And even if you did, you likely wouldn’t have everything you need to prepare the forecast. In situations like these, rely on the following methods to tell how the weather will fare.

Method #2: The Shape of the Clouds Tells All You Need to Know

The quickest way to tell how the weather will be is by observing the sky to check out the shape of the clouds. It tells you everything you need to know at a glance and is a reasonably accurate method that likely won’t disappoint. Here is what you can tell about the weather depending on the shape of the clouds in the sky:

• Cumulus clouds: Show that there are high chances of good weather.
• Cirrus clouds: Show that there are high chances of storms.
• Cumulonimbus clouds: Show that there are high chances of severe thunderstorms.
• Altocumulus clouds: Show that there are high chances of rain.
• Nimbostratus clouds: Show that there are high chances of heavy rains.
• Mammatus clouds: Show that there are high chances of intense storms.

Girl with Umbrella and Rain Cutouts

Method #3: Look at the Sky for Answers

The sky usually gives you the most answers when it comes to how the weather will be. It’s where you look to check the shape of the clouds too, but there are other ways in which looking at the sky gives you the answers you seek. Here are some of the hints that you can pick up on by checking out the sky:

• The moon is easy to see in a clear sky. This indicates that the weather is starting to cool down. It can also show that a low-pressure system is heading to your area.
• Count how many stars are in the night sky. If a lot of stars are visible, the upcoming weather is fine. If there are few stars in the sky, but more than 10, a light storm is coming. But, on the other hand, if there are fewer than 10 visible stars in the sky, a heavy storm is soon to hit.
• Check out the position of the rainbow. If you notice a rainbow formation outside, take notice of its position because it will indicate if bad weather is coming soon or has already passed your area. When the rainbow is in the west, it shows that bad weather will strike later that day. When you see it in the east, it indicates clear skies ahead.

Method #4: Rely on the Animal Kingdom for Clues

Most animals have a sort of sixth sense in what concerns the weather. Their closer relationship with nature and the elements is to thank for their ability to predict how the weather will be. If you know where and what to look for, you too can clue in on what the animal kingdom has picked up. Here are a few of the indicators to look for:

• Cows lie down on the ground together before the rain. The ground cools before storms, and these animals like to sit on it.
• If you notice birds eating during the rain, the small animal is making provisions because the bad weather won’t stop soon.
• Ever heard of Dolbear’s law? According to it, there is a direct correlation between the number of cricket chirps and the temperature. To determine the ambient temperature in Fahrenheit, count how many cricket chirps there are in 14 seconds, and add 40 to that number.
• When you notice birds flying low, get ready for a storm. The air’s low pressure makes the animals have this behavior before bad weather.
• Bees won’t leave their hives when rain is about to come. Butterflies won’t venture like they usually do, either.

Frog Uses Leaf as Umbrella

Other Telltale Signs of How the Weather Will Fare

• #1. Pine cones are nature’s hygrometers. Look at them, and you can immediately tell how moisture levels fare. When the air is dry, pine cones open their scales so that the wind scatters their seeds. When the air is moist, pine cones seal their seeds.
• #2. When you look up at the night sky and notice that a ring of light surrounds the moon, chances are that it will snow or rain soon. Known under the name of Lunar Corona, this phenomenon happens when the moonlight refracts and reflects through water droplets or ice crystals in the night sky. When there is a prism effect, the moonbow occurs, a rare phenomenon that one should be considered lucky if they ever witnessed.
• #3. Remember the saying “red sky in the morning, sailors take warning”? Red skies in the morning are a visual delight; that is true. However, as beautiful as they might look, red skies indicate that a storm is heading your way and that water vapor is in the air.
• #4. Some flowers close their petals at night and when they feel rainy weather is soon to come to protect their pollen from getting wet and heavy with dew. Following this logic, if you see tulips and dandelions with their petals closed in the morning, it likely means that rain is on the way.
• #5. When smoke starts going the other way around, it means that wet weather is soon to come. So, when you’re camping, and you make a fire, take notice of where the smoke goes. Air moisture has latched onto the smoke particles if it descends instead of going to the sky.

The Takeaway

There are moments when you cannot access any means to get the weather report, but you must know if it’s going to be sunny or if rain might hit soon, for example. You have alternatives, and while the weather station is the best and most accurate, it’s not the ideal on-the-go option. Previously in the article, I provided you with a few ingenious ways to tell how the weather will be, all without relying on any sort of device. Use these whenever needed, and sudden weather changes likely won’t catch you by surprise. All you need is to be more observant and mindful of your surroundings; that’s it.