Storm glass was mainly used when barometers were too expensive for farmers and ship captains before the late 1800s. The liquid in the glass will change and grow crystals or flakes. Depending on the shape and movement of the crystals it is said to be a predictor of the weather. It was initially thought that barometric pressure was the cause of the change in the liquid but more recent studies lean more towards temperature, since the glass container is completely sealed. An informal study done by Cecil Adams determined that the storm glass was only as accurate as random probability. The liquid in the storm glass usually includes potassium nitrate, ammonium chloride, distilled water, ethanol, and camphor. Storm glass is still available today as a unique and different way to predict the weather.
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