Weather Forecasts

This dialogue is a conversation between two girl-friends, Alice and Julia. They decided to do some shopping together. And now they are walking along the street. So, the conversation begins.

• Lovely day today, isn't it?

• It is. There's hardly a cloud in the sky in fact.

• Yes, it's wonderful weather we're having. I hope it will keep fine. It seems almost too good to last.

• It does, but I'm afraid we're going to have rains, occasional local thunderstorms and a strong wind. I've heard it on the radio this morning.

• Nonsense! Today I've read in the local newspaper that it is going to be a warm, fine to set-fair day, much heat.

• Really? Oh, you see, this is the reason for me not to pay attention to such weather reports. I do think that of all the silly, irritating tomfoolishness by which we are plagued this "weather-forecast" fraud is about the most aggravating.

• Yes, my elder sister always says that they forecast precisely what happened yesterday or the day before, and precisely the opposite of what is going to happen today. But I do believe them and I usually make my plans for the day according to the weather reports.

• But haven't you ever got problems because of them? As for me, I remember a weekend being completely ruined by my paying attention to the weather forecast.

• And what happened that day?

• As it was reported, the day was going to be warm and fine, so my friends and I went for an outing, planning to have a very good time. But in the middle of the morning a terrible thunderstorm began and kept on steadily for two hours.

• Oh, I suppose all your plans were spoiled, and you had to return home.

• Moreover, we got wet through, and after that I came down with a bad cold and had to stay in bed for two weeks.

• Oh, I see. By the way, my granny was brought up in a village and she knows all the weather signs. For example, bees are usually active several hours before rain, but as the humidity increases, they return to their hives. Granny says that the longer the increased activity lasts the longer the rain will be. Plants are also good humidity indicators. Just before the rain many flowers, such as daisies, dandelions and tulips, close their blossoms. Thus my granny doesn't have to listen to any weather forecasts.

• Oh, I know one more way to forecast the weather. Some people are very sensitive to humidity. People, who have arthritis, are in a sense "living hydrometers". That is why many older people say: "It is going to rain. I can tell it by my bones." They actually can.

• Oh, don't you think it looks like rain?

• So, you see, I was absolutely right saying that it was silly to believe weather forecasts.

• Well, my report said that the weather would be fine and it was not true, but yours turned out to be absolutely correct. So, I still believe weather forecasts.

• Oh! The weather is a thing that is beyond me altogether. I never can understand it.