Dear Tom, Why does the old adage about "red skies in...

January 18, 2004|By Tom Skilling, chief meteorologist at WGN-TV.

Dear Tom,

Why does the old adage about "red skies in the morning, sailor take warning, red skies at night, sailor's delight" seem to work?

A. Bechman, Schaumburg, Ill.

Dear A. Bechman,

It's been a while since we addressed this question, so we offer our explanation again. Variations of this proverb can be traced back to biblical times, and it has some validity in mid-latitudes where most weather systems move from west to east.

A red sunset suggests the western sky is clear and indicative of fair-weather high pressure, thereby giving expectations of another day or two of good weather. A red sunrise, however, can result from the rising sun illuminating cirrus clouds blowing in from the west. These high-level clouds, often the forerunners of approaching storms, gave weatherwise sailors an early warning of impending bad weather.


