Weather Watch:  Red Sunsets and Sunrises

"Red sky at night, paddler's delight.
Red sky in the morning, paddler's warning."

This old maritime saying (appropriately modified) actually bears a
measure of truth.  The red skies in the saying imply clear skies.
Outside of the tropics, weather systems tend to move from west to
east.  Because the sun sets in the west, if the sunset at night is
red, then the clear weather from the west will be moving to the
paddler's location within the next day or so.  The improving weather
brings the paddler much delight.  Because the sun rises in the east,
if the sunrise is red, then the clear weather is departing the
paddler's location, implying worsening weather and paddler's warning.

-David Schultz, NOAA/National Severe Storms Laboratory