Greek philosopher Theophrastus (c. 372 BC, Eresus, Lesbos — c. 287) was a Greek philosopher and pupil of Aristotle and perhaps the first weather forecaster in the world.
His book On Signs, written in the fourth century BC, was the first attempt to gather weather lore into a single volume. Aristotle created a theory of weather in his book Meteorology, but his successor attempted to give guidance on practical weather prediction, making him perhaps the first published weather forecaster.
One of Theophrastus’s principles was that weather divides into complementary halves so that one condition is typically followed by its opposite. Hence a wet winter precedes a dry spring and a dry May goes before a wet June.
Theophrastus also recorded dozens of signs indicating wind, storms, rain and other conditions ahead. Some are fairly obvious, such as the observation that being surrounded by lightning means rain is imminent. Others are less so, such as the flight of cranes being a predictor of fair weather, David Hambling writes in The Guardian.
Here are some of his observations published in his book On Signs
“The signs of rain appear to be as follows: most unmistakable is that which occurs at dawn, when the sky has a reddish appearance before sunrise; for this usually indicates rain within three days, if not on that very day. Other signs point the same way: thus a red sky at sunset indicates rain within three days, if not before, though less certainly than a red sky at dawn,” Theophrastus wrote.
He adds: “If the sun sets in a cloud in winter or spring, this generally indicates rain within three days. So too, if there are streaks of light from the south, while, if these are seen from the north, it is a less certain sign. Again, if the sun when it rises has a black mark, or if it rises out of clouds, it is a sign of rain; while, if at sunrise there are rays shooting out before the actual rising, it is a sign of rain and also of wind. Again if, as the sun sinks, a cloud forms below it and this breaks up its rays, it is a sign of stormy weather. Again, if it sets or rises with a burning heat, and there is no wind, it is a sign of rain.”
He continues:
“It is a sign of rain when a crow puts back its head on a rock which is washed by waves, or when it often dives or hovers over the water. It is a sign of rain if the raven, who is accustomed to make many different sounds, repeats one of these twice quickly and makes a whirring sound and shakes its wings. So too if, during a rainy season, he utters many different sounds, or if he searches for lice perched in an olive-tree.
“And if, whether in fair or wet weather, he imitates, as it were, with his voice falling drops, it is a sign of rain. So too is it if ravens or jackdaws fly high and scream like hawks. And, if a raven in fair weather does not utter his accustomed note and makes a whirring with his wings, it is a sign of rain.”
“A dog rolling on the ground is a sign of violent wind. A number of cobwebs in motion portends wind or storm…If in autumn sheep or oxen dig holes and lie keeping their heads close to one another, it indicates a severe winter.”
You can read excerpts from the Greek philosopher’s book here
Theophrastus was one of the few Peripatetics who fully embraced Aristotle’s philosophy in all areas of metaphysics, physics, physiology, zoology, botany, ethics, politics, and history of culture.
He came to Athens at a young age and initially studied in Plato‘s school. After Plato’s death, he attached himself to Aristotle who took to Theophrastus in his writings. When Aristotle fled Athens, Theophrastus took over as head of the Lyceum.
Theophrastus presided over the Peripatetic school for thirty-six years, during which time the school flourished greatly. He is often considered the father of botany for his works on plants.
