Weather affects our life and behaviour and for this reason all are interested in weather forecasting. The authors define the term weather forecast and describe the history of weather forecasting. They specify signs of an improvement or deterioration in the weather, focusing on foehn. The analysis and preparation of weather forecasts is exhaustively treated in the article because we can no longer rely on old sayings linking certain seasonal phenomena in such ambiguous ways that all kinds of ensuing weather may indeed be covered.