Weather Prediction from Observation of Cloudlets

Abstract

SOME three years ago I had explained to me by an Irish land official, whose duties are largely carried out in the open air in South Kerry, a method of weather prediction which is much the same as that described in NATURE by Sir G. Archdall Reid. Attention was fixed on a small fragment of cloud; if the cloud increased in size, rain was to be expected within a few hours at most; if the cloud decreased, no rain was to be expected for some little time. I have had numerous opportunities of testing this method, and I do not recall any occasion on which the forecast made was not borne out by events.