Due to the lack of weather forecasting tools, our ancestors recognized the signs of storms by observing nature. They compiled and distilled their experiences into a vast treasure trove of weather forecasting knowledge, especially storm forecasting techniques.
In ancient times, our forefathers used to say: “Look to the sky, look to the earth, look at the clouds. Watch the rain, watch the sun, watch the day, watch the night.” This served as a reminder for descendants to closely monitor the weather, a natural factor that has a profound impact on human life.
In ancient times, our forefathers used to say: “Look to the sky, look to the earth, look at the clouds. Watch the rain, watch the sun, watch the day, watch the night.” This served as a reminder for descendants to closely monitor the weather. (Image: Internet).
Storms are natural phenomena and dangerous natural disasters that can devastate living environments, causing severe consequences for property and human life, particularly in agriculture, fisheries, and maritime activities.
Through storms, our ancestors accumulated extensive experience in recognizing and predicting storm formations. Today, using advanced technological tools such as satellite cloud imagery analysis, scientists have validated many of the natural observational experiences of our predecessors with scientific backing!
This is because folk experiences mainly rely on changes in cloud state, water surface, and unusual behaviors of certain animals like swallows, dragonflies, frogs, and toads.
Common observational experiences include watching the sky at dawn and dusk, observing trees, leaves, and water surfaces. For example: “Golden haze means sun, white haze means wind, red haze means rain” (where haze refers to a type of cloud colored by diffusion) or when bamboo shoots grow with their tops peeking through clumps, or when grass leaves have joints, a storm is likely to occur…
Moreover, our ancestors also summarized astronomical phenomena into folk sayings. Modern science has now verified these experiences to be accurate up to… ninety-nine percent! However, the current environment is being degraded, the culture of reading is no longer respected, and oral traditions are fading, along with many natural phenomena disappearing. Consequently, the transmission of storm avoidance experiences is also diminishing.
“Dragonfly signals rain” in brown-yellow. (Image: Internet).
In the past, mothers would teach their children to recognize celestial phenomena even while they were still in the cradle: “Hush now… Dragonflies flying low mean rain / Flying high means sunshine, flying just right means shade / Remember this saying, my child / Southeast flashes lightning, low near the sea means a storm is coming.”
There is also a folk saying: “Rainbow in the East, rainbow in the West means no rain but winds may arise.” (Rainbow refers to clouds forming in the East, observed in the early morning when the sun is about to rise)… Or: “Storms from the East come fast and furious. Storms from the West come slow and steady.” (This means that storms from the East arrive quickly and heavily, while storms from the West rarely bring heavy rain).
Our ancestors also observed the activities of animals to predict the weather: “Ants build mounds then storms will come / Ants carrying their young means rain.” Ants are social insects, very sensitive to weather changes, and they seek shelter and display behaviors that signal to us as indicated in the above saying.
Similar to ants, bees also live in colonies and are highly organized. They have a keen sense of weather; thus, when they don’t fly out to collect nectar and only linger at the entrance of their hives, it is a sure sign that rain or storms are approaching since they sense the impending danger.
Coastal fishermen have another way of predicting storms by observing jellyfish. When jellyfish wash ashore in abnormal clusters, it signals that storms have formed thousands of kilometers away. Modern science has also proven this phenomenon.
“Rainbow in the East, rainbow in the West means no rain but winds may arise.” (Illustration).
Based on the experience of “looking to the sky”, our ancestors would gaze at the vast sky to predict the weather. For instance: If clouds gather into large, thin masses, taking on a fibrous appearance and spreading rapidly across the sky, thickening and lowering or white clouds billowing like cotton mountains, it indicates a storm is imminent.
Today, weather forecasting science has systematically categorized various types of clouds in the sky to provide data for storm prediction analysis. The type of cloud resembling clusters of fine, white fibers is commonly referred to as cirrus clouds. These clouds can sometimes bend like hooks or stretch across the sky. When the sun is about to set, they often appear pink or bright yellow.
When cirrus clouds appear, there is usually little rain. However, in the summer, if these clouds appear, it can signal an impending storm. The thin, milky-white clouds are often referred to as stratocumulus clouds. Stratocumulus clouds sometimes look like tangled threads or exhibit halos around the sun or moon. When these clouds appear, atmospheric pressure begins to drop, indicating a storm or heavy rain may follow.
Additionally, observing the moon is also a method of weather forecasting. If you can easily see the moon in a clear sky, this indicates pleasant weather. It also means a low-pressure area is moving towards the region, clearing away dust, and thus rains are likely. If the moon is clearly visible, pay attention to the halo around it.
- Remember the ancient proverb: “A halo around the moon means drought, a halo means rain.” The circle around the moon indicates that a warm front is approaching, often bringing rain. The halo forms due to ice crystals passing through the moon.
- A double halo around the moon may signal strong winds during an approaching storm.
- Another saying goes: “A bright moon means frost will fall.” A clear sky indicates no clouds to retain heat, so it will be colder at night and in the morning, even if it is not cold enough for frost to appear.
Storms and floods cause severe damage to life and property. (Image: Internet).
Storms are particularly dangerous phenomena, causing very strong winds that can capsize boats, topple buildings, bring heavy rain, lead to severe flooding, and sometimes create disasters. Each year, our country experiences about ten storms, with Nghe An facing a few.
While it is true that storm prediction activities based entirely on observation stations and meteorological services are not always accurate, our ancestors relied solely on astronomical observation experiences to forecast storms, and they managed to avert many storm-related disasters.
Given this harsh natural phenomenon, it is important to widely disseminate folk experiences on storm forecasting, as people need to be accurately warned about the storm’s path making landfall in advance to implement effective precautionary measures.
