Space and weather buffs have a lot in common.
For some people, gazing at the sky is a beloved pastime. For others it is an actual hobby. A lot of people who are interested in meteorology are also interested in astronomy, and vice versa. It is in the weather section of the news that you will usually find astronomy-related tidbits, such as information about the moon phase, a meteor shower, planets making appearances, and so forth.
A perfect spring day for sky buffs would involve one that culminated in a towering cumulonimbus cloud, lightning, hail, and some frightening winds but then cleared off completely in the evening, "scrubbing" the sky clean as the stars came out and shone brilliantly in the clear night.
An interest in the sky is not just for those who like to observe cloud formations, storms, and stars, but often it involves learning about the science behind these objects.
Any activity in the atmosphere or any physical processes on Earth might be attractive to astronomers because Earth is a planet. What we learn about other planets can have implications on our knowledge of Earth. We have certainly used much of our knowledge of Earth and extrapolated it to the solar system at large. We compare storms, winds, aurora, and other atmospheric events between the planets.
Both professional and amateur astronomers also watch the weather closely to check for the best observing times. Clouds can completely ruin your night but other atmospheric effects can also make for bad viewing. Winds, temperature differentials in layers of the atmosphere, haze, or even weather that is just too cold for staying outside for very long. Which is another reason astronomers like spring: nights may be shorter but they are warmer. Winter's more hours of darkness doesn't mean there are more observers. It is generally in the summer, when people have been out enjoying the weather until sunset, that most people are caught lingering outdoors after sunset and do the most star and planet viewing.
Cirrus, the high wispy white clouds that look a bit like horse's tails (and are sometimes called Mare's Tails) can signal bad weather. Cirrus often form in advance of a cold front. If an astronomer sees cirrus clouds in the sky during the day, there's a good chance his or her evening of star observing will be a wash out (literally).
I hope all the space and weather buffs out there are enjoying spring with the return of titanic thunderheads and warm starry nights!
