W E A 



A cliaDge in the wind commonly produces a change in 

 the weather. Thus, in fair weather, if the wind changes to 

 the oppofue point, rain may be expefted : but, in rainy or 

 foggy weather, it will clear up foon after the change of the 

 wind. 



In a ftorm at fea, a fiery meteor, in form of a ball, afford, 

 ing an obfcure flame like a candle burning faintly, is fome- 

 timcs fcen adhering to the mads, yards, &c. or leaping from 

 one part to another. When only one is feen, it is called 

 Helena, and is a (i^n that the feverefl; part of the ftorm is 

 yet to come. When two are obferved, they are called 

 Cajlor and Pollux, and fometimes Tyndarida, and denote the 

 ftorm to be near an end. If five of thefc balls are feen toge- 

 ther, which tlie PortngiiL-fe call the Virgin Mary's Crown, it 

 is confidered to be a fnre fign that the ftorm will be foon 

 over. When the meteor adheres to the mafts, yards, &c. it 

 is concluded, from the air not having fufficient motion to 

 diiTipate the flame, that a calm will foon enfue ; but if it 

 leaps from one place to another, that it denotes a ilorm. 



At the Cape of Good Hope, an approaching ftorm, or 

 gale of wind, is ealily known by the following obfervations ; 

 — When a fmall black cloud, called the Ox-eye, is obferved to 

 rife from the top of Table Moimtain, which continues to 

 ncreafe until the heavens be almoft entirely overclouded, 

 ;he Ilorm then commences. A fimilar phenomenon ufually 

 jrecedcs a ftorm at the Arabian gulf : this ftorm comes 

 rom the north, and is accompanied with a great quantity of 

 ■ed fand. 



When a hurricane happens in the W 'ft Indies, it is gene- 

 ally either at new or full moon, or at the quarters, and the 

 igns are as follow : — The fun and moon appear redderMhan 

 ifual, and are fometimes furrounded with a halo ; the ftars at 

 light appear larger and fainter ; the Iky in the N. W. quarter 

 8 dark ; the hills are clear of tliofe clouds and mills which 

 ifually hover about them ; the fea emits a ftrong fmell, and 

 s violently agitated, often when there is no wind ; the wind 

 ilfo veers about to the weft, from whence it fometimes blows 

 vith intermifiious violently and irregularly for about two 

 lours at a time. 



The tumbling of porpoifes indicates a gale of wind. 

 liVhen a fwell fets from any particular point, there being no 

 vind, a gale may be foon expefted from that point. 



From a very great number of meteorological obfervations, 

 nade in England between the years 1677 and 1789, Mr. 

 iCirwan has deduced the following probable conjedlures of 

 he weather : 



1 . That when there has been no ftorm before or after the 

 ernal equinox, the enfuing fummer is generally dry, at leaft 

 ive times in (ix. 



2. That when a ftorm happens from any eafterly point, 

 ither on the 19th, 20th, or 21ft of March, the fucceeding 

 ummer is generally dry, four times in five. 



3. That when a ftorm arifes on the 25th, 26th, or 27th 

 if March, and not before, in any point, the fucceeding 

 ummer is generally dry, four times in five. 



4. If there be a ftorm at S.W. or W.S.W. on the 19th, 

 :oth, 2 1 ft, or 2 2d of March, the fucceeding fummer is 

 generally luel, four times in five. 



We fhall further fubjoin the following obfervations : 



1. A moift autumn, with a mild winter, is generally fol- 

 owed by a cold and dry fpring, wiiich greatly retards 

 egctation. 



2. If the fummer be remarkably rainy, it is probable tliat 

 he enfuing winter will be fevere ; for the unufual evapora- 

 ion will have carried off the heat of the earth. Wet 

 ummcrs arc generally attended with an unufual quantity of 



W E A 



feed on the white thorn and dog-rofe bufhes. Hence, tJie 

 unufual fruitfulnefs of thefe ftirubs is a fign of a fevere 

 winter. 



3. The appearance of cranes, and birds of paftage, early 

 in autumn, announces a very fevere winter ; for it is a fign 

 that it has already begun in the northern countries. 



4. When it rains plentifully in May, it will rain but little 

 in September, and -vice -verfa. 



5. When the wind is S.W. during fummer or autumn, 

 and the temperature of the air unufually cold for the feafon, 

 both to the feeling and the thermometer, with a low baro- 

 meter, much rain is to be expedled. 



6. Violent temperatures, as ftorms or great rains, produce 

 a fort of crifis in the atmofphere, which produces a conftant 

 temperature, good or bad, for fome months. 



7. A rainy winter predidls a fteril year ; a fevere autumn 

 announces a windy winter. 



For indications of the weather by the barometer, fee 

 Barometer. By the Thermometer, (which fee,) Mr. 

 Dalton deduces the following conclufions : 



The mean altitude of the mercury in the thermometer in 

 Britain is about ^^° : if higher, the weather is warm ; but 

 if lower, it is cold. 



A quick and confiderable alteration in the altitude of the 

 mercul-y in the thermometer indicates rain. 



If it begins to fnow when the thermometer is below 32°, 

 the mercury generally rifes to that altitude, and continues 

 while the fnow falls. If the weather clears up foon after, a 

 fevere cold may be expeclcd. See alfo Hygrometer, from 

 which it is inferred, that, when the index of the hygrometer 

 points to dry, and continues proceeding towards extreme 

 drynefs, fair weather, and probably wind, may be expefted ; 

 but if the index returns to the mean ftate, it will be rain. 

 If the index points to ?7ioiJI and increajing, rain will foon 

 follow ; if it returns towards the mean, it will be fair 

 weather. 



As to the fuppofed influence of the moon upon the wea- 

 ther, fee Influence of the Moon. 



Weather, in Sea Language, is ufed as an adjeftive, and 

 applied by mariners to every thing lying to windward of 

 a particular fituation : thus, a fiiip is faid to have the wea- 

 ther-gage of another, when flie is farther to windward. 

 Thus alfo, when a fhip under fail prefents either of her fides 

 to the wind, it is then called the weather-fide, or weather- 

 bo.ird ; and all the rigging and furniture fituated on it are 

 diftinguiflied by the i'ame epithet ; as the weather-flirouds, 

 the weather-lifts, the weather-braces, &c. 



To Weathek, is to fail to windward of fome ftiip, 

 bank, or head-land. 



WEATHER-.6fa/fn. Scattered by a ftorm. 

 Weather-^iV, denotes a turn of the cable of a ftiip 

 about the end of the windlafs, without the knight-heads. 

 It is ufed to check the cable, in order to (lacken it gra- 

 dually out of the fliip, in tempeftuous weather, or when the 

 fhip rides in a ftrong current. See KltiC-Ropes. 



VJ^ATiiEH-Boarding, among Carpenters, &c. denotes (he 

 nailing up of boards againft a wall, and fometimes the boards 

 themfclves when thus nailed up. 



WE.\THER-Coci, or Weather- Vane, a moveable vj^ne, 

 in form of a cock, or of other fhape, placed on high, 

 to be turned round according to the direftion of the 

 wind, and point out what quarter the wind blows from. 

 See Vane. 



WEATjiER-Cor^/. See Hygrometer. 

 Weather, //ar(/-(7. See Hard. 



WEATHER-Bou/e. See HvGROMiJTER. 



Weather- 



