Chapter 15

Cold Weather Survival

WEATHER SIGNS

15-97. In most situations you can determine the effects that weather can have on basic survival needs. Several good indicators of climatic changes include the following:

WIND

15-98. You can determine wind direction by dropping grass or a few leaves or by watching the treetops. Once you determine the wind direction, you can predict the type of weather that is imminent. Rapidly shifting winds indicate an unsettled atmosphere and a likely change in the weather.

CLOUDS

15-99. Clouds come in a variety of shapes and patterns. A general knowledge of clouds and the atmospheric conditions they indicate can help you predict the weather. Appendix H explains cloud formations in more detail.

SMOKE

15-100. Smoke rising in a thin vertical column indicates fair weather. Low rising or "flattened out" smoke indicates stormy weather.

BIRDS AND INSECTS

15-101. Birds and insects fly lower to the ground than normal in heavy, moisture-laden air. Such flight indicates that rain is likely. Most insect activity increases before a storm, but bee activity increases before fair weather.

LOW-PRESSURE FRONT

15-102. Slow-moving or imperceptible winds and heavy, humid air often indicate a low-pressure front. Such a front promises bad weather that will probably linger for several days. You can "smell" and "hear" this front. The sluggish, humid air makes wilderness odors more pronounced than during high-pressure conditions. In addition, sounds are sharper and carry farther in low-pressure conditions than high-pressure conditions.