It has received solid reviews across the board, although, as we’ve mentioned above, don’t expect the predictions to be accurate from any storm glass. This teardrop-shaped glass sits on an LED wooden base which has seven different colors to choose from. If making your own seems too dangerous, or you can’t obtain the materials necessary, then the best storm glass to buy is the Eon Concepts Storm Glass on Amazon. If you can obtain these materials, you’ll be able to make one on your own.īe very careful and follow the video’s safety instructions to prevent any issues from occurring. You will need 100 proof vodka, camphor, potassium nitrate, and ammonium chloride. We recommend checking out the video below. However, if you really want to make one, there is a way to do it. We recommend that you buy one instead of making it yourself, especially considering many of the required chemicals can be difficult to obtain. Inhalation of these chemicals could make you sick, and you should take care when handling any of the chemicals and prevent exposure to bare skin. Most of the chemicals used to produce the liquid inside of a storm glass are potentially hazardous. Keep it away from walls facing the outside or near heating and cooling ducts. They should also not be placed in a window that receives direct sunlight, or somewhere that may experience sudden temperatures changes during the day. Storm glasses are not intended for outdoor use, so if you purchase one, keep it indoors. Below is the chart used by Fitzroy and others to read a storm glass.ĭoes a Storm Glass Work Indoors? Here Is Where You Should Place It How to Read a Storm GlassĪs we mentioned earlier, Robert Fitzroy popularized the current method to read a storm glass. Learn how to read a Galileo thermometer and how they work in our article. If you’re searching for a functional and decorative weather instrument that is reasonably accurate, we recommend a Galileo thermometer. Most home weather stations use barometric pressure to make predictions on weather conditions, over time barometric pressure has shown to be a much more accurate method of forecasting. If you’re looking for precise weather forecasts for your local area, invest in a home weather station instead. Our opinion is that storm glasses should not be relied upon as a legitimate weather instrument but more of a conversation piece for your office or coffee table. These same tests also showed to be no better than a 50/50 chance of being correct, essentially leaving the predictions up to chance. While research is slim on the storm glass (even when they were more commonly used), several studies over the years seem to suggest crystal growth is affected by temperature more than anything. Today’s versions are hermetically sealed, which would likely mean the changes would have something to do with temperature differences outside the glass. The version of the weather glass used in Fitzroy’s time was not completely sealed (typically by only a rubber cap) so pressure changes may have had some kind of effect. The most common ingredients inside these devices include ethanol, distilled water, ammonium chloride, potassium nitrate, and camphor, although different storm glasses may have different combinations of these ingredients. The truth is that there just haven’t been many studies done to figure out the process. How Does a Storm Glass Work?Įven today we do not entirely understand how these devices work, or how the crystals inside form and change shape. These days, they have become little more than a conversation piece, rather than weather predictors, and many may not even know that such a device ever existed. Storm glasses fell out of favor late in the 19th Century as mercury barometers became more affordable. Fitzroy became so enamored by the storm glass that he pushed for their use throughout the UK to help early meteorologists predict the weather better and more so after an 1859 storm which took many by surprise, resulting in hundreds of deaths at sea.
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