Predict Weather Just by Drinking Coffee?! It's Actually True!

It's late March again, and the Qingming Festival is just around the corner. The saying "Qingming season brings continuous rain" isn't just a poetic expression. Many people in Guangdong Province have likely experienced several days of downpours. Opening the weather forecast, you see an entire week of rain, which can be quite frustrating.

However, weather forecasts are often unpredictable. Just when you decide to go out, the sun shines brightly... This creates a tempting thought in your mind: "Don't bring an umbrella, you'll be back soon, it won't rain." But shortly after leaving, it seems the heavens are against you, and suddenly a heavy downpour begins.

When you encounter this uncertainty—where the weather forecast predicts rain but you're unsure if it will actually rain during your outing—you can make a cup of coffee! With just one cup of coffee and a sugar cube, you can predict the short-term weather conditions!

The Science Behind Coffee Weather Prediction

This life hack of predicting weather with a cup of coffee originates from the book "A Cup of Coffee Knows the Weather" by British author Matthew Cole. The relevant content mentions: order a cup of coffee, drop a sugar cube into it, and observe the bubbles released as the sugar dissolves without stirring. If bubbles gather in the center, it indicates high atmospheric pressure, and the weather will soon clear up. Conversely, if bubbles collect around the edges of the cup, it suggests low atmospheric pressure,预示着 either heavy rain or snow.

Some might think this phenomenon sounds as mystical as Turkish coffee fortune-telling. In reality, this magical phenomenon has scientific grounding. Coffee beans contain oils that float on the coffee's surface, creating surface tension. When a sugar cube is placed in hot coffee, it releases bubbles as it dissolves. These bubbles, suspended on the coffee's surface, function as a barometer.

On the same horizontal plane, when atmospheric pressure distribution is uneven, air flows from high-pressure areas to low-pressure areas. Air from higher-pressure regions flows horizontally to surrounding areas, while air above high-pressure regions descends. This occurs because atmospheric pressure increases as altitude decreases. When air from higher altitudes descends, the pressure it experiences increases, its volume decreases, and its temperature rises (as learned in high school physics: PV/T=C). In high-pressure center areas, conditions are unfavorable for cloud and rain formation, typically resulting in cloudless sunny days. The opposite is also true.

Practical Considerations

Doesn't this suddenly make you realize that drinking a cup of coffee can contain so much scientific knowledge? You might feel tempted to try this at home. It's important to note that bubbles can float on the coffee's surface and function as a barometer only because of appropriate coffee oils. Instant coffee and pour-over coffee are not optimal choices, while freshly ground, freshly made hot Americano coffee becomes the best option.

Additionally, regarding sugar choice, the book specifically mentions sugar cubes rather than regular granulated sugar. This is because coffee sugar cubes have porous gaps between particles that facilitate bubble formation during dissolution.

Conclusion

Speaking of which, Coffee Workshop has helped everyone review the influence of atmospheric pressure on weather from high school geography. What are your thoughts?

"At this moment, I just want to open my phone and check the weather forecast! If it says rain, I'll bring an umbrella—no more taking chances!"

Image source: Internet

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