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: cloudspotting
The Meaning of Summer Mists
This morning, I stepped out into a dense mist and it was a glorious omen; I paused to check my pack for sun cream before…
The Hidden Seasons
A Calendar of Nature’s Clues and Signs ‘When we know what to look for and what it means, seasonal moments that were once hidden shine…
The Backstory to a Weather Book
In 2018 I set out to write a book about the weather. The plan was to stick true to a philosophy and approach that I…
What is a Temperature Inversion?
A temperature inversion occurs when a layer of warmer air traps a layer of cooler air near the surface. Temperature inversions are most common after…
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…
Halos, Sun Dogs and Circumzenithal Arcs
What are those bright rainbow colours in the sky, if not rainbows? My thanks to Giel Spierings for the following email and permission to share…
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…
What are Fallstreak Holes in Clouds?
Fallstreak holes form when a part of a cloud falls out, leaving a hole. This happens when part of a cloud made of very cold…
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…
How to Tell If You Are Looking at a Storm Cloud
If we see clouds growing taller, it is a sign that showers and storms are more likely than days when the clouds are flat and…
The Temperature Rises Before Snow Arrives
The temperature often rises just before it snows, but why? When it is very cold in winter, we instinctively feel that snow is likely. It…
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…
What is a Distrail?
A distrail is the clear path through a cloud formed in the wake of an aircraft. Distrails form because the aircraft turns the water droplets…
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…