Every second you are out in the wild the climate around you is dynamically changing. You need to be able to have some basic knowledge about this ever-changing climate in order to react properly and protect yourself. In this country, differences in air pressure and temperature can vary widely throughout the day and make it hard to gauge. (Desert climates can range from freezing during the night to scorching hot in the afternoon).

Signs from Clouds:

You may remember this quick lesson from elementary school science class. Different types of clouds above you can help to predict differing weather conditions. As a rule of thumb, the higher the clouds lay, the more stable the weather is around you. If clouds are grey, low, highly clustered, it should be fairly obvious that storms may be on the way.

Cumulonimbus Clouds look dark and heavy but characteristically funnel upwards to higher elevations. They can oftentimes indicate thunder and rain in the not too distant future.

Cumulus Clouds are generally normal looking clouds- fluffy and white shaped, they are a normal indicate of fair and dry weather in the next few days.

Stratocumulus Clouds look like individual puffs of cotton balls. The overall color can range of grey to very dark. If these clouds are in your area you may experience, at the most, some light rains.

Cirrus Clouds look like strands of hair; almost like feathers of clouds. They are white in color and will be found very high in the sky. These nether indicate rain or clear skies. Generally speaking, cirrus clouds form so high in the sky that they will not have an effect either way.

Other Signs:

-Bright Red Sunrise: Indicative of heavy moisture in the air. The reason that the morning sunrise will look redder is because the early rising sun is reflecting off of tiny water droplets stored in the clouds. If you see this red sunrise, a storm is most likely on its way, as moisture never lies.

-Rainbows: Almost the exact opposite of the red sunrise, a rainbow will indicate that a rainstorm has just ended. The reason for this is that droplets of water following a rainstorm will produce a prism which causes the rainbow.