| Weather |
| The following links are to national weather forecast websites. For more accurate, in depth forecasts and radar pictures, check your local stations. |
| Weather Signs to Look For |
| In the treestand, or on the river, you're not going to have the Weather Channel or NOAA at hand to tell you what the weather will bring. Here are some things you can watch for when you're hunting. |
| The Wind Roll |
| The wind roll is a rough looking "row" of clouds...It is usually small, and it moves quickly. It moves in a "row", a small strip, long ways(the way a wave moves across the ocean) and it generally moves just in front of the actual storm. On large storms or weather systems, a wind roll may be identifiable as the dark clouds preceding the lighter coloring of the actual rain clouds, and it can be quite large.If you see a wind roll approaching, pull on your hood or rain gear and buckle down, because as soon as it passes over, the wind will blow, and rain will start falling. |
| Wall Clouds |
| Wall clouds are ominous "wall" looking clouds...they are dark, and they really do look like a wall. They are big, but not huge....they are wider than they are tall. Depending on where you live or are located, this can mean a strong storm, or something worse. In the east, a wall cloud indicates a severe thunderstorm, and it means go inside until it passes by. In the midwest, it means get in a storm shelter, because there's probably a tornado about to be spawned. |
| Black Clouds |
| Black clouds come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and can mean a variety of things. A large black cloud, with thunder coming from it, is, of course, a thunderstorm. Depending on the direction its headed, it may mean time to get inside. It is never a good idea to sit outside, especially in a tree, amongst trees, or on a boat during a lightning storm. Smaller black clouds usually indicate a small front passing by, but they can indicate a developing storm. |
| Towering Clouds |
| If you see big, billowing, white clouds seeming to tower up in the distance (you can see this a little bit on the background picture), a storm is building, so be aware. If one builds like this, and the top seems to "blow out", it usually indicates a severe thunderstorm. |
| Anvil Clouds |
| Anvil clouds are best viewed at a distance, although you can see them closer if the angle is right. They are shaped like an anvil, and the reason they are so hard to see within a few miles is because of the fact that they are so big. These are severe thunderstorms, and they take on the form of an anvil because of the fact that they have built up so high that their tops get blown off by upper atmospheric winds, and flatten out up top. |