I love to talk about the weather! I also love weather gadgets and I do own a few – from the weather stick on the tree in my backyard to a mariner weather glass.
The latter is my favourite. Many years ago, they were state-of-the-art barometers. They were used on ships to warn sailors of impending storms.
They work just as well today! You simply fill the glass with coloured water and hang it on the wall, out of direct sunlight. Coloured water makes the level easier to see. Mix food colouring in the water to get the desired shade, then add the mixture to the glass body until the level is about 2 cm above the spout join.
The rise and fall of the water level in the spout indicate changes in atmospheric pressure. Pressure is defined as the weight of the air on an object. As the pressure drops, the water is able to rise up in the spout. As the pressure rises, the water goes back down the spout. Water slowly rising in the spout forecasts a storm up to 24 hours away. Rapidly rising water indicates a local storm and a quick drop again means the storm has moved off.
The other day I received an email from Mary Parker. She’s noticed that since she moved to Nova Scotia, her glass barometer needs to be topped up every now and again – those powerful coastal storms cause the water to bubble out of the spout. Mary heard that adding water to the instrument was tricky and you should use both cold and warm water. Adding water is easy. I’ve been using a turkey baster and lukewarm water for years and it works like a charm.
If you are starting your Christmas shopping this weekend, a weather glass makes a lovely gift for the weather enthusiast on your list.
