How to make a STORM GLASS to predict the weather!

Well, it snowed today! +1 for Storm Glass forecast accuracy.

The Storm Glass was first invented in the mid 1700's, and soon made it's way into ships and harbors around Europe to help give warning of approaching bad weather. It gained the most fame through Admiral FitzRoy who used a Storm Glass on the voyage in which he and Darwin traveled to the Galápagos Islands. As such, the instrument is sometimes called a 'FitzRoy Storm Glass'.

Due to the use of vodka rather than pure ethanol and water, the proportions I use to make the Storm Glass in my video breaks somewhat from the traditional ratios, but the recipe is balanced to achieve the same effect as the original. Fortunately, the chemical solution does not require extreme precision to work properly.

Composition:
Vodka, 100 Proof (50% Ethanol) - 300 mL
Camphor - 28g (1oz)
Potassium Nitrate - 10g
Ammonium Chloride - 10g

Some of these chemicals may be difficult to obtain in certain parts of the world, but if Camphor can be found it's possible that Potassium Nitrate or Ammonium Chloride could be substituted for other soluble salts, such as Sodium Chloride (I have not tested this).

To read a Storm Glass for weather prediction, here is a description from the book Pharmaceutical Formulas by Peter MacEwan, published in 1908:

------------------------------------------------

"The changes of the solution signify the following:

Clear liquid : Bright weather.
Crystals at bottom : Thick air, frost in winter.
Dim liquid with small stars : Thunderstorms.
Large flakes : Heavy air, overcast sky, snow in winter.
Threads in upper portion of liquid : Windy weather.
Small dots : Damp weather, fog.
Rising flakes which remain high : Wind in the upper air regions.
Small stars : In winter on bright, sunny days, snow in one or two days.
The higher the crystals rise in the glass tube in winter the colder it will be."

------------------------------------------------

The crystals within a Storm Glass will dissolve and solidify all on their own as the temperature changes day to day. If you would like to start fresh with completely clear liquid and watch the crystals form rapidly, the glass can be placed in a bowl of warm water for 10 minutes to dissolve old crystals completely. Remember to loosen the lid before doing so to prevent excess pressure from building inside.

For further reading see:

Thanks for watching! Please remember to leave me a comment and share this project with your friends! #NightHawkInLight

-~-~~-~~~-~~-~-
Check out my latest video: "How To View Invisible Air Currents With Lasers"
-~-~~-~~~-~~-~-

[ROBwithaB]

*"Don't drink this"*.
Ah, so that's what I did wrong...

[miniruck]

"When coconut dry, it's sunny."
"When coconut wet, it's raining."
"When coconut swing, it's windy."
"When coconut is gone, it's storming."

[Armuotas]

Been watching your channel for an hour or so and I love it. Having a realisations constantly. Like the fact that camphor sublimates. In my country (Lithuania) we used to have a saying "evaporated like a camphor" to describe someone hastly leaving the place or something disappearing or being used up quickly. I never thought much about it. But now it makes sense! Thank you!

[gojoubabee]

I'd like to make one, but I'd have a fun time explaining to my parents why they'd need to buy me vodka 😂

[TheKingofRandom]

I love the smell of camphor in the morning!

[indigochild]

Things with chemistry seem so mysterious, until you get to them. You de-mystify them and make them understandable to the common person, always with the most efficient results possible, and the icing on the cake is the things you make are almost always practical! Thank you!

[DaveHax]

Wow, that's well cool, I love it! 

[ScrapwoodCity]

That was super cool, thanks for sharing this!

[HempThief]

remember kids don't drink the chemicals.

[xShianx]

Lol I like how he has to say "don't drink this" for the special people out there ;)

[TheSpiroGamR]

when you are 14 and want to make this.

"MOM CAN YOU BUY ME SOME VODKA?"

"WHY THE HELL WOULD I DO THAT YOUR 14"

"FOR SCIENCE"

[yashaazevedo]

Hey You are very intelligent and and full of endurance, as i can see. Keep that gift, your reward comes in the distant future. I will now watch your other KEEP IT REAL

[GoldenPalomino]

I made a storm glass using a large mason jar (such that the recipe was increased 2.5x). So far I am not sure it is working properly, but it sure is interesting anyway just to see crystals forming in solution. Great way to illustrate crystallization in a way that students can actually see happen in front of their eyes!

[allkive]

Hi, I'm currently doing this project but I live in the Southern Hemisphere (Brazil) and its summer here, I'm trying to adjust the concentrations so it will precipitate on the lowest temperature of our hot weather, I gave it a couple of tries and it's pretty close to yours, thank you for the videos!

[VoodooViking]

I got an empty bottle of Crystal Skull Vodka. Gonna make that into a really interesting storm glass. A human skull storm glass!

[thevivekmathema]

WORKS PERFECT!!! Today I tested your formula in a miniature scale ( 50 ml total volume) and i used the camphor found in the chemical shop... It I will be posting a DIY video credited to you soon! I used all pure chemicals from Chemical (Chemistry) shop

[christopheradams]

So it doesn't predict the weather it gives you insight into the changing of a climate over a period of time based upon the frequencies of the crystal formation.

[randyvalance]

Awesome project! Thank you for sharing such knowledge when grade school wouldn't or was unaware...

[alltimes]

My Mum's Christmas gift sorted.. Haha

[electronicsNmore]

Neat project and easy to make. Nice job!