DASG Blog

Màirnealachd ann am Faclan bhon t-Sluagh

“What’s the weather forecast?” That’s the most common question on everyone’s mind every dayt. There hasn’t been people or a culture on earth that hasn’t been dependent on the changing weather, good or bad. However, to those that are accustomed to keeping an eye out for the changing weather “màirnealachd” has been recorded from them. It means a knoweldge of weather changes. To the Gaels “màirnealachd”, or “suraladh”, has been very important and still remains just as true and important today. Much “màirnealachd” has been recorded in “Fieldwork” – even though I know that were are just scratching the  surface with the amount of “màirnealachd” that can be found – and we shall inspect some in this blog.
 
Good weather

• Ceann dearg – fragment of a rainbow in the evening.
• “Gealachadh bho thuath, còmharradh math. Gealachadh bho dheas, droch còmharradh.” [“Whitening from the North, good sign. Whiteneing from the South, bad sign.”]
• Roth air a’ ghrian – A wheel on the moon. (short while of good weather.)
• “A’ tighinn soills’” – [as the moon developed.

 
Bad weather

• Adhar dearg às an àrd an iar air an oidhche. – “Red sky at night, shepherd’s delight...”
• “Breacadh an runnaich”.
• Buaile mun ghealaich – A ring around the moon.
• Càbraid nan ròn – Seals squealing.
• Cathain a’ dol gu deas – A goose going south.
• Ceann-cruaidh – Short shaft of rainbow seen in the morning.
• Ceò bàn an t-solais ùir – Mist and moon together.
• “An croch thu do cheap air a’ ghealaich” – “If you could hang your hat on the moon” (i.e. if the moon was pointed enough to have hooks to hang your hat.)
• Crann nan cat – The Plough constellation.
• Cuilean-grèine – Sun-dog.
• Droch ghabhail air iasg – When a fish is hooked anywhere but the mouth.
• Droch thràigh – Quickly turning tide.
• Fada-cruaidh – Back cloud in the North.
• Fearadhaire – Two suns. Seen in Autumn.
• “Fiasag nan gobhar” – Very similar to “Breacadh an runnaich.”
• Fir chlisne – The Northern Lights, Aurora Borealis.
• “Gaoisid an fhèidh” – Wispy, pointed clouds pointing away from the sun.
• “Gealachadh bho thuath, còmharradh math. Gealachadh bho dheas, droch còmharradh.” [“Whitening from the North, good sign. Whiteneing from the South, bad sign.”]
• Giomach air mullach na clèibh – If a lobster was caught on top of a lobster pot.
• Grian is fara ghrian – Two suns.
• Guilleag eala – Note made by swans who arrive from Norway during snow and frosty weather.
• Làgaraid – Tidal wave, most noticeable in a shallow inlet.
• Madadh-grèine – Sun-dog.
• Rionnag ro fhaisg air a’ ghealaich – A star too close to the moon.
• Sgarbh air tìr – Cormorant in-land.
• Sgeith runnaig – A falling star (seen in the late afternoon or night.)
• Sgiansgaradh – Threatening overhead conditions with rain clouds about to break.
• Stac – Made up of several “adagan”.
• Suibheag – Sun-dog.

 
For those who hate to be “Ris an fhrois” I would advise you to heed the following:
Showery weather

• Adag chruaidh [badag chruaidh] – Part of a rainbow. (If seen in the west this meant it would rain from the east.)
• Balt air a’ bheinn – Rain cloud hovering above a hill.
• Casan-cailbean – Cartwheel-like spokes from the sun.
• Casan-coirpte – Shafts of light under the sun (indicates rain, usually at sunrise.)
• Ceann-snaidhm – Cloud on horizon. Strips of clouds coming together at one focal point.
• Ceann snamadh – [See “Ceann-snaidhm.”]
• Glutach – Sky full of threatening rain-clouds.
• Laiseadh às na creagan – Sun shining on the rocks, causing a white reflection.
• Fàileas lìon an damhain allaidh – Pattern of light lines on grass (seen in late afternoon).
• Sgallachan a’ deàrrsadh anns a’ ghrèin – Rocks shining in the sun.
• Stiapan – Streaks of foam on sea, presaging rain.
• “Tha i a’ tarraing oirrre” – Gathering of clouds.
• “Tha a’ chraobh aice” – Cloud formation like a tree seen in the southern sky in the early morning (Strong South wind with rain).

Windy weather

• Casan cainnbe – If the rays pointed away from the sun then this presaged rain.)
• “Tarraing air a’ mhuir” – Roaring of the sea with a white foamy surface.
• “Tha a’ chraobh aice” – Cloud formation like a tree seen in the southern sky in the early morning (strong South wind with rain).

Stormy weather

• Bùtarras – Change in weather conditions bringing storm and rain.
• Eòin a’ falbh na speilean – Birds leaving in flocks.
• Roth air a’ ghealaich – A ring around the moon.

 
Changable weather

• Deargan-donna(/doinneann) – Small rainbow.
• “Tarraing a’ tighinn a-stigh às a’ chuan” – Ground swell at sea.

 
I hope that you won’t be “ur meabaineachadh,” “air ludradh fhaighinn,” “air ur lamaisteachadh,” “nur slip-slap” or “bog bàthte” with the weather uptil now. I hope that you found this blog informative and and that you will be prepared for the weather to come this year now. Keep an eye out on the weather and keep an eye out for new posts on facebook, twitter and our website.