Producers Blog
#PHactFriday Did You Know? Weather Folklore Edition
You may have heard this farmer’s adage before from your parents or grandparents:
“Red sky at night, sailor’s delight
Red sky at morning, sailor’s warning”
Used by farmers (and sailors) of previous generations to predict the weather, you may think it’s merely a catchy rhyme. However, according to the Library of Congress, the adage can be explained scientifically.
Generally, weather – storms included – moves from west to east. The colors we see in the sky are light rays that reflect off water vapor and dust particles in the atmosphere, which are good indicators of weather conditions. A red sky seen at sunrise or sunset suggests that the atmosphere is loaded with dust and water vapor particles, and the timing of that red sky can indicate the onset of good or bad weather.
When a red sky is seen at sunset, it means that the sun is sending its light through a high concentration of dust in the atmosphere; this indicates a high pressure system and stable air, with good weather following.
When a red sky is seen at sunrise, it means that the sun is sending its light through a high concentration of water content in the atmosphere; the high pressure system has passed and a low pressure system may be moving eastward, causing rain.
