What is a Corona in the Sky?
During a night walk in the early hours today, I was treated to the scene above, a beautiful corona. But what is a Corona? A…
Tag: cloud clues
What are Contrail Shadows?
Contrail shadows form when the long thin artificial clouds formed behind aircraft cast a shadow on a lower, or occasionally higher, layer of cloud. Contrails,…
What’s On the Other Side of the Hedge?
I was walking in the Sussex countryside a couple of days ago and took this photo: Which direction are we looking? Was the picture taken…
What are Banner Clouds?
From the book, The Secret World of Weather: In mountainous country you may also come across a cloud that streams away from only one side…
What is a Shelf or Arcus Cloud?
Shelf or Arcus clouds appear near a thunderstorm and can warn of their proximity. Sometimes a cloud rides ahead and heralds the imminent arrival of…
The Cross-Winds Rule
When upper and lower winds are moving at right-angles, a major weather change is imminent. Look at the low and high clouds in the time…
How to Interpet the Weather Using the Jet Stream
What Are Jet Stream Ropes? The following is an excerpt from the book, The Secret World of Weather, by Tristan Gooley. Jet streams are snaking,…
How to Tell Which Way a Storm is Heading
There is a simple technique for working out which way a distant storm is heading. Just look for the ‘finger’. Quick description: There is a…
How Can I Tell If A Cloud Will Bring Rain?
Is it going to rain? What a popular question. The key to longer-term forecasts lies in studying changes in clouds and fronts over hours, but…
How to Forecast Weather with Contrails
Below is a short excerpt from the book, The Secret World of Weather, on how contrails can be used to predict changes in weather Contrails…
The Gower Peninsula
I’m recently back from a 4-day series of natural navigation exercises on the wonderful Gower Peninsula, in South Wales. To see photos and videos of…
What do Scientists Read on Holiday?
Dear Mr. Gooley,I have stumbled upon your book on the secret world of weather in a small bookstore in Flagstaff, Arizona on a road trip.…
What are Lens Clouds? (Altocumulus lenticularis)
Lens clouds are saucer, lens or lentil-shaped clouds that form when wind blows moist air over mountains. Their formal name is Altocumulus lenticularis (lenticula means…
Nature’s Clues and Signs – Tarn, France
Here’s my selection following a short visit to friends in the Tarn region of southern France. Stately Homes The older, bigger and grander a building…
Why is visibility so good in the mountains?
Many visitors to cold mountains are struck by the amazing visibility. The visibility is so good that it can trick the brain into thinking things…
A Plein-Air Artists’ Manual
One of the great joys of natural navigation is that it intrigues such a wide variety of people, something it shares with food. We can’t…
What is the Planetary Boundary Layer?
From The Secret World of Weather: The lowest part of the atmosphere is the only area strongly influenced by the sun’s radiative heating of the…
The Meaning of Cloud Streets
On a flight back from Spain to the UK, we were treated to a great display of “cloud streets” over France. They form parallel to…
The Foehn Fish
Another very interesting email from Prof. Otta Wenskus: Hi Tristan, I just read your paragraph on altocumulus lenticularis. Sadly, while Ifind them beautiful, my feelings…
The Clouds Map the Ground
On first glance these clouds may appear random. But they are far from it. They are making a map of the ground for us. With…
How to Gauge High Winds Using Trees
The tops of trees or other fixed objects in the middle distance make it easier to gauge the effect of the wind on clouds or…