Red sky at morning, sailors take warning.
Red sky at night, sailors delight.
I have often wondered about this as I remember my grandmother and my mother always reciting this whenever there was a pretty, colorful sunset or an equally beautiful sunrise. Not that either of them were sailors but I figured perhaps they had learned it from my grandfather who was in the Navy! I never knew if there was any scientific findings behind it or if it was merely a cute little ditty. Today, again I pondered this fact. If it holds true..the sailors would have been in a panic this morning! With the impending storm in the Gulf of Mexico, I just knew there would be an incredibly beautiful sunrise..I was not disappointed. It was absolutely breathtaking! I arose early..long before daybreak so I would be able to fully enjoy the entire show. Ezzy, the dog, was well enough to take the hike to the pier with me which made it even more enjoyable. It is always nice to have someone with whom to share my sunrises! Yesterday's storm clouds had lingered through the night making the horizon just covered enough to reflect the brilliance of the rising sun. I took picture after picture hoping at least one would show the true colors..the true magnificence of this sunrise. I pondered "Is this an omen of what is to come?"..meaning Tropical Storm Lee.
Then this evening..the saying held true. The sailors would not have delighted..there was no red sky in sight. The sky was gray..with maybe even a touch of green. The "feeder bands" from Tropical Storm Lee were moving in on the Coast making the sky dark and drab. This was a far cry from the spectacular show from earlier in the day. Not a hint of color brightened the horizon. There would be no oohs and ahhs during this show. The pier felt bleak. There was a drizzly rain and a light breeze..something that was sure to change once Lee decided to pull into shore. We wait..and wait. Tomorrow most likely will see torrential rains and high winds.
As I waited for the onset of Lee, I did a bit of research. There does seem to be some scientific basis to the adage. It seems reddish glow at dawn is the light reflecting on the water droplets in clouds that are impending weather systems. These clouds will pass over during the day creating rough weather. A red glow in the evening supposedly is the light reflecting on clouds that have already passed overhead and are no longer a threat. According to the source, all weather systems move west to east. Well! That fully explains everything! ... I DON'T THINK SO! ... If that is the case then what is up with these hurricanes! It is a rare thing to get a tropical system that moves in from the west! That would mean that Texas is sending them to us and that is just a bunch of malarkey! I am quite sure that Texas would never send a storm to anyone and besides..they could use this rain. (That is another thought altogether..I wish I could send these clouds their way. Hopefully, Lee will send a few clouds westward and give them a good soaking to ease their drought.) Anyone tracking these storms can see that the movement is ..west..got it?..west! Or at least west and north. It is a rare storm that moves south or east. Most hurricanes that come into the Gulf of Mexico start as a tropical wave out there in the Caribbean Sea or the Atlantic Ocean somewhere and scoot across..westward..to come into the Gulf. So if the idea that weather moves west to east holds true..we should be shooting these entities to them..not them to us. Hmmm..maybe hurricanes are obstinate. Maybe they do not like to be told where they should travel. I have always said that these storms have a mind of their own and will pretty well do as they please.Oh..this weather stuff is just too confusing! Anyway, at least this once..the rhyme held true. The fiery red sky this morning did portend of bad weather today and the mariners (boat owners) took heed. The Bay is filled with large boats seeking safe harbor...and to think, this is supposed to last for the next three to five days. (I wonder if there will be a red sky in the morning?? I wonder if I dare make the trek to the pier in the middle of the storm?? I wonder if the mariners of old really did dance around singing some jaunty little ditty about the weather???)
No comments:
Post a Comment