An Angler's Guide to
Predicting The Weather

No one expects amateur anglers to be expert weather forecasters, but you can become more
accurate with a few helpful tips.

Wouldn't it be great to have more insight into the seemingly complex art of weather forecasting? 
It goes without saying that many special fishing experiences are diminished by the unpleasant, 
surprising whims of Mother Nature.
Through the years, anglers have patiently come to grips with unforeseen obstacles like cold or 
hot weather, unruly winds, threatening skies and a dozen other combinations of environmental 
discomforts that seem to wait for holidays, weekends or vacations.
It doesn't have to be that way. Weather predictability can prove a valuable ally on days when 
a thin tanktop or T-shirt is the only thing that stands between the skin and a unexpected 
north wind.
Conversely, the "layered look" is not desirable on a hot day. Of course, you can always shed 
stifling layers, but when two or three anglers in the same boat decide to peel jackets and 
sweaters, the deck resembles a clearance table at Macy's. Tip-toeing around stray clothes, 
tackle boxes and other gear in limited space is an art reserved for the Ballet Russe, not busy 
anglers.
Simple, reasonably accurate forecasting can mean better fishing, too. Bright days require 
certain lures while those that are dark or cloudy demand a completely different set of baits. 
To cover any situation, most anglers carry a variety of tackle, but again there is only so 
much floor space in a boat.
With the tool of weather predicting, selection of lures can be done with more accuracy and 
effectiveness.
Setting yourself free of all those wonderful superstitions fathers and grandfathers believed 
so strongly could be the toughest part of it all. The fact is, however, that corns, bunions 
and restless livestock have absolutely no relation or reaction to dropping temperatures. Birds 
roosting before a storm do not portend inclement weather.
Amateurs can never expect to forecast with the broadness and precision of the U.S. Weather 
Bureau, which has hundreds of trained personnel, scads of money, complex and expensive 
instruments and volumes of empirical data. Don't be intimidated, however. You can make well-
educated guesses and achieve encouraging results. The heart of "educated guesswork" is directly 
predicted on a brief overview of the environmental conditions that you encounter. Attention to 
some minor details could really make a fishing day or, at least, help avoid a great deal of 
discomfort and unpleasantness.

WEATHER BASICS

In the outdoors, temperature is the most powerful weather determinant. Anglers should leave 
its complexities to the weather bureau, and concentrate instead on the critical subfactors that 
affect their immediate area. For successful armchair, short-range weather guessing, five 
important components are: wind speed and direction, cloud formations, local temperature, 
communication and barometric pressure.
Most portable radios have a weather band. On borderline weather days, stay tuned. Remember, 
however, that heavy static on your AM radio may be an indication of storm activity somewhere 
in the area.

KNOW THE WIND

The ability to judge wind direction and speed are as easy as looking across a lake or river. 
For those not familiar with compass points as they relate to wind direction, a quick review is 
extremely important. Wind direction is simply the direction/rom which the wind is moving, i.e., 
north winds come from the north, and westwinds from the west, etc. Combinations of those same 
compass points are often used for pinpointing more accurate descriptions of origins — terms 
like northwest, southwest and so on.

Estimating wind velocity is almost fun. Here are some dependable rules of thumb:
1. Observe the smoke from a campfire (or any smoke). If it rises vertically, wind speed is less 
than 1 mph.
2. When smoke is barely moved by wind, its speed is approximately 1 to 3 mph.
3. If you can feel the wind on your face, its velocity is 4 to 7 mph. At the same time, leaves flicker and weather vanes start to wiggle.
4. Tree leaves flap energetically and small twigs move with wind speeds from 8 to 12 mph.
5. Lightweight flags unfurl; dust scatters in puffs, bits of scrap paper flitter about and small branches move at 13 to 18 mph.
6. Peaked and crested small waves (on reservoirs and lakes) and small trees sway at 19 to 24 mph.

Any steady increase in wind accompanied by dark, ominous clouds often predicts serious squalls.
With this guide, you should have no problem observing the skies and horizon from your home or 
car, and saying with conviction, "...the wind is from the north (or wherever) at about 3 miles 
per hour."

CLOUDS TO CONSIDER Clouds are one of the major indications of short-term local weather conditions. Years ago, L. Howard, a well-known English meteorologist, made it simple for us to remember the names of most of them. His word descriptions and terms are perfectly suited definitions. They include the following: (with meanings listed in parenthesis as well as the altitude, description and possible indication)
CIRRUS (curl of hair, horse's mane) Typical altitude: 20,000 to 60,000 feet. Visual: White, delicate, almost silky. Possible indication: Distant storm.	CUMULUS (piled, accumulation) Typical altitude: 1,000 to 45,000 feet. Visual: Dense and distinct in puffy piles and towers upward. Often two tone with bright tops (sun) and dark bases. A "vertical" cloud. Possible indication: To become CUMULONIMBUS.
STRATUS (spread out) Typical altitude: Under 8,000 feet. Visual: Gray, close to land, flat blanketing appearance.  Possible indication: Drizzle, very light rain.	CUMULONIMBUS ("nimbus" means moving, traveler) Typical altitude: 1,000 to 6,000 feet. Visual: Another "vertical" ranging from light to dark. Possible indication: Rain and/or  thunderstorms, sometimes hail.
CIRROSTRATUS Typical altitude: 20,000 to 60,000 feet. Visual: Thin, white, veil-like. Possible indication: If formation becomes dense, rain is likely.	ALTOSTRATUS ("altos" means high) Typical altitude: 8,000 to 20,000 feet. Visual: Uneven but uniform, sheet-like thinness. Possible indication: Could precede heavier formations, which bring rain and snow.
ALTOCUMULUS Typical Altitude: 8,000 to 20,000 feet. Visual: Water-filled, they are a blanket of white or off-white flakes. Mostly billowing clusters and swirls. Possible indication: With sufficient altitude, rain and thunderstorms.	NIMBOSTRATUS Typical altitude: Under 8,000 feet. Visual: Thick, dark and "wet" appearance. Possible indication: Rain.

For anglers who want to become more accurate forecasters, the next step is not a giant one.
A simple barometer coupled with available information contained in various books at a public 
library or pamphlets from the National Weather Bureau should suffice. There are literally dozens 
of handy references that offer tips and tables of weather data.
Information supplied by the National Weather Bureau is critical because of the importance of 
the broader weather picture and the complex changing characteristics that affect that 
environmental mixing pot.
That doesn't mean you cannot have fun trying to guess what Mother Nature plans to dump on you 
during the next few hours via sky or wind. Take it in stages. Become a "closet" forecaster.
Make a habit of observing things like wind speed and cloud formations on a day-to-day basis. 
If you have a barometer, a glance once or twice a day will keep your forecast trim.
In a short time your skill will become second nature, and your personal weather forecasting 
will improve to the point you can state authoritatively, "Let's go fishing tomorrow ... its 
going to be a beautiful day!"