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Gentleman's Magazine 1748 p.256
sort, then it is likely to be in the south, or south-west, 2 or 3 months together, as it was in the north before. - The winds will finish these turns in a fortnight.
16. If it returns. &c. (verbatim)
17. Fair weather for a week, with a southern wind, is like to produce a great drought; if there has been much rain out of the south before. The wind usually turns from north to south, with a quiet wind without rain, but returns to the north with a strong wind and rain; the strongest winds are, when it turns from south to north by west.
N. B. When the north wind first clears the air (which is usually once a week) be sure of a fair day or two.
17 If it be fair weather out of the south for a week together (which is not usual) it is like to be a great drought, when it has been a long time of rain out of the south before. Usually the wind turns from the north to the south quietly without rain, but comes back again into the north with a strong wind and rain. - The greatest winds, which blow down houses and trees, usually come out of the south by the west into the north, which drives away rain, and clears the air. Pointer.
18. CLOUDS. In summer or harvest, when the wind has been south 2 or 3 * days, and it grows very hot, and you see clouds rise with great white tops, like towers, as if one were upon top of another, and join'd together with black on the † nether side, there will be thunder and rain suddenly. Shepherd.
18. When the wind in the summer time has, &c. * days together.
† nether side, then it is like to be thunder and rain suddenly in many places.
19. If two such clouds arise, one on either hand, it is time to make haste to shelter.
19. If there arise two such clouds with thunder in them, the one on the one side of you, and the other on the other, then beware.
20. If you see a cloud rise against the wind, or side wind, when that cloud comes up to you, the wind will blow tha same way that the cloud came. And the same rule holds of a clear place, when all the sky is equally thick, except on clear edge.
20. Not in Pointer's account.
21. Sudden rain never lasts long: but when the air grows thick by degrees, and the sun, moon, and stars shine dimmer and dimmer, then it is like to rain six hours usually.
21. When a shower comes suddenly, 'tis like to be fair weather again in the space of half an hour, or an hour: and when the air grows thick by degrees, and the sun shines duller and duller, till it shines not at all, or the moon or stars by night, then it is likely to rain six hours usually.
22. if it begin to rain from the south, with a high wind for two or three hours, and the wind falls, * but the rain continues, it is like to rain twelve hours or more, and does usually rain ‡ till a strong north wind clears the air. These long rains seldom hold above ‖ twelve hours, or happen above once a year.
22. When it begins, &c. (verbatim)
* (and it continues raining still)
‡ Till a strong wind arises to clear the air.
‖ above twenty-four hours, or seldom happen,
&c.
23. If it begins to rain an hour or two * before sun-rising, it is like to be fair before noon, and † so continue that day; but if the rain begin an hour or two after sun-rising, it is like to rain ‡ all that day, except the rainbow be seen before it rains.
23.
* before day.
† to hold so all the rest of the day.
‡ most of the day after.
24. SPRING and SUMMER. If the last 18 days of February, and 10 days of March, be for the most part rainy, then the spring and summer quarters are like to be so too: and I never knew a great drought but it enter'd in that season.
25. WINTER. If the latter end of October and beginning of November be for the most part warm and rainy, then January and February are like to be open and mild.
These 3 last observations not in Pointer.
From this comparative view, any one may, at first sight, see whether these observations, ascrib'd to the Shepherd of Banbury are really deduc'd from no less than 40 years experience, or not rather transcrib'd from Mr Pointer's account, in which are great many curious observations, besides these that have been borrow'd from him.
And as to the Shepherd's book, it must be acknowledg'd to be well written; and the publisher's remarks are judicious, rational, and useful.
I am, Sir, Yours, &c.
STALBRIGIENSIS.
May 28, 1748.
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