Weather has always fascinated humans. Think about it—water droplets falling from the sky, that same sky turning dark grey, ice falling down—all of that would be perplexing, if not scary, if you saw it for the first time but didn’t know how to explain it.
That’s why, for thousands of years, people have watched the skies, the animals, and the atmosphere to predict what tomorrow might bring.
From ancient stargazing rituals to today’s satellite-powered technology, our journey of understanding weather has been incredible.
But how exactly did we move from reading the stars to analyzing data from space? Let’s explore how far we’ve come and how we can adapt to future bouts of climatic instability.
Ancient Civilizations and Their Weather Wisdom
In ancient times, societies were deeply connected to nature, observing patterns in the stars, the moon, animal behavior, and even atmospheric cues like clouds and wind.
The concept of weather fascinated them, as they believed meteorology was a direct result of their deities acting either positively or negatively. As a result, these ancient people developed various ways to try and determine the weather, as it determined everything from planting crops, planning migrations, and waging wars.
Although these ancient techniques lacked the precision of modern technology, they were surprisingly effective in their regional contexts. Let’s take a trip down memory lane and see these ancient civilizations in action.
The Mayans and Astronomical Calendars
The Mayans were masters of astronomy, and they used their deep understanding of the stars to make weather predictions. They created complex astronomical calendars, which helped them track the movement of celestial bodies and predict seasonal changes. Furthermore, the Mayans believed that the behavior of the stars and planets was deeply connected to earthly events, including the weather.
The Egyptians and the Flooding of the Nile
For the Egyptians, the annual flooding of the Nile River was the key to agricultural success. This majestic river’s relevance is as strong as ever, with 95% of all Egyptians living within several miles of the riverbanks. Likewise, in the old days, they used to predict the flood by observing the rising of the star Sirius, which heralded the beginning of the inundation season..
The Greeks and the Power of Observation
The Greeks took a more philosophical approach to weather prediction, with scholars like Aristotle laying the foundation for meteorology. Aristotle wrote Meteorologica, where he attempted to explain the causes behind different weather phenomena. Furthermore, Ancient Greeks used careful observation of wind directions, cloud shapes, and even the behavior of animals to predict the weather.
The Science Behind Ancient Techniques
The ancient methods of predicting weather were based on careful observation of repeated natural patterns. Even though people couldn’t explain the process, if they noticed something worked, they repeated it.
For example, the saying “Red sky at night, sailor’s delight; red sky in the morning, sailor’s warning” has its roots in atmospheric science. A red sky at sunset often indicated stable weather ahead, while a red sunrise suggested that a storm could be on the way.
Similarly, people observed animal behavior—such as birds flying low before a storm or ants building higher mounds—to make their forecasts.
Enter Modern Technology: Satellites, Supercomputers, and Big Data
The shift to modern weather forecasting began with inventions like the barometer in the 17th century, which allowed scientists to measure air pressure and predict changes in the weather. Fast forward to the 20th century, and technology took a giant leap with the introduction of satellites and supercomputers.
Today, meteorological satellites orbit the Earth, capturing real-time data on cloud movements, temperature, and atmospheric moisture. These satellites allow meteorologists to see large weather systems as they develop, making it possible to predict hurricanes, storms, and other extreme events with remarkable accuracy.
Supercomputers process this data using complex algorithms and models. They can analyze millions of data points in seconds, providing forecasts that are not only highly accurate but also available instantly, along with a significant boost from AI.
Predicting Weather Today: How You Can Use Ancient and Modern Methods
Why not try predicting the weather yourself? You can combine ancient methods with modern tools for a fun experiment. Start by observing nature: Are birds flying lower than usual? Do the clouds look thick and dark? These could be signs of rain.
Next, compare your observations with a weather app or a local news forecast. See how accurate your prediction was! You can even keep a scoreboard, and start using more data sources.
It’s a great way to learn about both the natural indicators that ancient people used and the modern technology we now rely on.
Likewise, you can go even further and analyze historical data to determine the weather in the future. You can easily find weather reports in PDF form on news or meteorological websites, convert the PDF to Excel and create a dataset you can train an AI on.
Not only can this be a great way to fuse the ancient and advanced in terms of weather, but it’s also a great and practical way to get introduced to AI and data science as a whole.
Conclusion
From stargazing to satellite data, humanity has come a long way in understanding and predicting the weather. The ancient practices may not be as precise as modern tools, but they are still fascinating glimpses into the resourcefulness of our ancestors.
By exploring both ancient techniques and modern technology, we can see how they complement each other—and perhaps even learn to predict tomorrow’s weather ourselves.
So, keep watching the skies, just as humans always have. You never know what you might discover!
