When I was thumbing through the SAS Survival Manual, I was interested in the section about how to predict the weather where you are for the next several hours. I noticed today that my oldest daughter thought it was going to rain today because it was overcast (it didn't btw).

How important do you think basic sky watching/weather prediction is as a survival skill? Making fire and shelter building yes, but how often do people work on their sky watching skills?

What do you think?

I can't tell which way the wind is blowing, don't care.
If I stick my hand out, I can tell if it's raining & I'm always sure the weather is going to clear up soon.
I don't even listen to weather reports, I just wait for the rumor mill to churn out dire predictions. In the summer, it's warm, winter is cold, spring is wet. Fall is all 3.Period.

Needless to say, I wouldn't last long in Tornado Alley, or a boat, or...
Some people have a knack for certain things, weather isn't one of them for me. Expect the best, but prepare for the worst, that's how I've lasted this long.

Most urbanites won't. That's what the TV weatherman is for (who I think just regurgatates the NOAA forcasts). Plus, it's kinda hard to read the sky with all those buildings in the way. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> At least here in Florida, once our "rainy season" starts, you don't need to look at the sky, just look at your watch. They will start everyday at the same time (+/- 5 minutes). It's kinda cool.

My personally, I notice the "Red sky in morning, sailor take warning" and the "Red sky at night, sailors delight". But, that's only because my dad taught me that saying.

It is a useful skill. Weather predicting is not as important as fire making, signalling or shealter building, but if your proficent in these skills why not expand your knowledge and skills.

Once again, it seems I didn't fully explain my thought, which is a habit I need to break! I'm a big fan of weather.com and my NOAA All Hazards radio, and trust those to help me plan day to day. My thought on learning what the weather may do over the next several hours is in situations where one may be hiking in the backcountry and something happens to extend the trip unexpectedly. I would assume that any ETSer would have checked weather forecasts for the expected duration of their trip, but I'm thinking of accident or injury that may make the trip longer than expected.

I'm wondering if people who spend time away from urban areas practice these kinds of skills.

As an aside, I learned recently that our local weather people on the news re-report NOAA information...the NOAA radio we have started talking, and then about two minutes later, the people on the news said the same thing.

As a military Air Traffic Controller, we were trained in local area forcasting. I find it a very useful skill.

We travel a lot so we are always in some place where we do not know the local weather "habits". My local forcasting skills have frequently helped us stay safe when we might otherwise have experienced an unplesant situation.

I have a barometer in the camper and watch the pressure changes. Rate of change is important. I also watch cloud types, humidity, wind direction and force,

There are natural indicators for almost everything (but pressure). For instance watching tree leaves will indicate moisture level. Many tree leaves become more flexible with humidity. Well before it is noticible by "feel".

The wind direction is very important. Knowing this will help you locate the high or low pressure areas which, of course, control weather.

I don't know if there is a formal course available on the internet for this sort of knowledge. It is a skill that I have been practicing for many years and not only does it help me forcast the weather, it keeps me in closer contact with nature. For me, that is just as important as the weather forcast.

nomad

I've tried and tried to learn, at least 4 times in my life, to know what every cloud formation, barometric pressure, and wind directions mean for weather change. I just get it wrong every time....hopeless! I've gotten good at hiding from lightining strikes, though.

I do actually get a long range forecast before going camping, but I refuse to be a slave to the weather. If I believed every forecast, I'd never go anywhere.
The forecasts are about useless anyway, the weather in the mountains has it's own agenda.

I learned about this years ago on a Montana mountain elk hunt. Having ridden for days in every weather but a cyclone I finally asked my grizzled old mountain-man guide "what do you think the weather will be tomorrow?"

His reply: "Boy, if I could tell the weather, don't you think I'd get me a town job telling folks the weather... instead of wrangling dudes around IN the weather?" "Instead of pondering about what the weather WILL do, just pack for anything it COULD do!"

You know.... he looked like I imagine Cris Kavanaugh might look like.

Confusus say: "Path of wisdom is checking local weather forecast". Otherwise your giving Mother Nature a great way to Darwin your ass.

When I was a kid, my folks, my little brother, and I took a formal Coast Guard sailing class that included a section on weather prediction through analysis of cloud formation. It may have been the most handy classtime I have ever had. It made quite an impression on a 12-year old. Since then I have used that knowledge countless times to avoid--or more likely ride out--foul weather. Take the class--it is worth it.