Weather Folklore

[Cold Rain]

So, now that our first winter wx event of the season is in the books, I thought I would see if anyone had any favorite weather lore that they would share (i.e. how animals behave before a storm, red in the morning, sailor's warning...that kind of stuff).

One of the things I've heard is that when you see a flock of blackbirds eating off the ground, it means that snow is on the way (where else would they eat, though?). Oddly enough, I haven't seen any congregation of blackbirds in weeks, except yesterday morning. They were all over my yard and all in my neighborhood. And of course, it snowed.

The other ones that seem to have merit are thunder in the winter means snow is coming soon. I've heard different time periods: 5, 7, and 10 days. Depending on which time period you use, this one worked also for this yesterday's event.

And of course, there's the old ring around the moon. If you see that in winter, it means snow will fall in 3 days (I've heard 7 days as well).

So it would seem that 2 out of the 3 items above were observed before yesterday's snow. Very possibly, this stuff is all coincidental, but it might be fun to track this winter.

So, are there any other good ones that have merit?

[Cyclonicjunkie]

Wooly Worms FTW

[Tyler Penland]

Wooly Worms FTW

+1

[lilj4425]

I saw a squirrel in my backyard today. The snow is coming.

[Marion_NC_WX]

I've always heard that the amount of acorns and other nuts that fall off a tree in the autumn may foreshadow how severe the upcoming winter may be. Last year there seemed to be a lot of fallen acorns but we had our fair share this fall as well.

[Gastonwxman]

The one involving snow at least 7 days (or earlier) after thunderstorms during winter is valid 70% of the time. All has to do with the atmospherics on that one. Funny that I bring this up because it happened just recently (Storms on Nov. 30; 4 days later, snow comes ). So I suppose that has merit.

[Cold Rain]

Woolly worm predicted a cold winter last winter. So coincidence or not, it was right. Of course, I think it predicted a cold one this year too, which is weird since all the ones I've seen have mostly brown and not black.

I didn't pay any attention last year, but this year, there have been tons of acorns. We'll see in March whether the consensus of forecasts were right or whether the acorns and woolly worm was.

[november rain]

This is not folklore that I know of but its a observation over the years of my pets

Seems every time my cat grooms itself and takes its right paw and sweeps it from the backside of its ear all the way over to front  3 or more times it rains/snows within 48 hours.  Its normal grooming technique does not include this sweeping motion it just licks its underside and chews its nails and licks between the webbings of its paw.

Also about 2 days before cold air gets here the cat will locate the warmest place but will not go there and spend time until it actually gets cold. 

[Cyclonicjunkie]

Woolly worm predicted a cold winter last winter. So coincidence or not, it was right. Of course, I think it predicted a cold one this year too, which is weird since all the ones I've seen have mostly brown and not black.

I have seen mostly black ones, but I have seen some La nina ones also (Black with a brown stripe in the middle)

[GaffneyPeach]

Well, since we're talking about it: My tarantula, Fang, (yes it's legit) could care less about the weather...however....she definitely knows when there will be an earthquake or tremor. So, that's it for my folklore. Take it for what it's worth.

[pcbjr]

More acorns than I've ever seen (probably due to last winter's cold) and the sandhill cranes are flying in by the droves (meaning a cold mid-west winter). But around here - folklore for winter: my wife cuts the A/C off when it's 85, and by God, a day later it freezes - no need to look at the Weather Channel - she cuts the A/C off, and BOOM - cold arrives. How she knows is beyond me, but when the A/C goes to off, I bring firewood around ....

[ICEAGE NOW]

I saw some squirrel's cutting firewood in my backyard, that means a hard winter ( just kidding )

Red skies at night, sailors delight, red skies in the morning, sailors take warning.

If the the snow stays on the ground more than three days, it's waiting for more to cover it.

more berries on the holly tree, the harder the winter.

if you cut open a persimon tree seed and look at the design inside, a spoon, a fork, a knife, I can't remember them all, but I believe the knife design means it will be bad and the cold will cut right thru you.

I used to know alot of the old weather folklore, this is all I remember right now.

[Cyclonicjunkie]

Red skies at night, sailors delight, red skies in the morning, sailors take warning.

I have always believed this one and think it might even have scientific backing but i'm not sure

[ICEAGE NOW]

I have always believed this one and think it might even have scientific backing but i'm not sure

I've seen it happen before, real red skies one morning in the east, had a big snow later that day.

this weather saying is even in the Bible, I think Jesus said it.

[jburns]

I saw some squirrel's cutting firewood in my backyard, that means a hard winter ( just kidding )

Red skies at night, sailors delight, red skies in the morning, sailors take warning.

If the the snow stays on the ground more than three days, it's waiting for more to cover it.

more berries on the holly tree, the harder the winter.

if you cut open a persimon tree seed and look at the design inside, a spoon, a fork, a knike, I can't remember them all, but I believe the knive design means it will be bad and the cold will cut right thru you.

I used to know alot of the old weather folklore, this is all I remember right now.

Squirrels screwing in winter mean lots more squirrels in spring.

Count the morning fogs in August and at the end of the month you'll know how many there were.

A ring around the moon means your Lasik surgeon screwed up.

[Local Yokel Wx]

Check out this article listing about 10 or more... http://www.tuckreader.com/when-the-snow-flies-mountain-musings-on-the-traditions-of-weather/ . Sorry my link button is not cooperating.

[FoothillsNC]

Squirrels screwing in winter mean lots more squirrels in spring.

Count the morning fogs in August and at the end of the month you'll know how many there were.

A ring around the moon means your Lasik surgeon screwed up.

[EmersonGA]

I usually see big flocks of Sandhill Cranes flying south in early winter right before a big cold front. When they fly back north in March/April you can take it to the bank that warmth is here for good.

[DixieBlizzard]

Those darn woodchucks keep chucking my wood!

This usually means a solar minimum. I'm just sayin'.

[Cold Rain]

Ok, so in the long term camp, we have:

1) Acorns

2) Persimmon seeds

3) Cranes flying South

4) Woolly worms

5) Holly Berries

And in the short term camp, we have:

1) Lots of blackbirds eating

2) Ring around the moon

3) Thunder in the Winter

4) Red in the morning, Sailors warning

5) Snow stays on the ground for 7 days, it's waiting for another snow

6) Fang the tarantula (for geological events)

I may have missed one or two, but that's a start. Let's see if any of these things are observed this week. I saw a lot of blackbirds in the neighborhood this morning, so we can check that off the list (although I don't know what the preceding time requirement is). There was also snow still on the ground yesterday, which makes a full week from last Saturday's snow. We probably won't hear any thunder, if we didn't this morning. Let's see what happens.

[Psalm 148:8]

Ok, so in the long term camp, we have:

1) Acorns

2) Persimmon seeds

3) Cranes flying South

4) Woolly worms

5) Holly Berries

And in the short term camp, we have:

1) Lots of blackbirds eating

2) Ring around the moon

3) Thunder in the Winter

4) Red in the morning, Sailors warning

5) Snow stays on the ground for 7 days, it's waiting for another snow

6) Fang the tarantula (for geological events)

I may have missed one or two, but that's a start. Let's see if any of these things are observed this week. I saw a lot of blackbirds in the neighborhood this morning, so we can check that off the list (although I don't know what the preceding time requirement is). There was also snow still on the ground yesterday, which makes a full week from last Saturday's snow. We probably won't hear any thunder, if we didn't this morning. Let's see what happens.

Grandparents were from NC...great-great grandmom was cherokee indian squaw .(sp?)

Have heard the blackbird thing...they were all over my yard last Sunday...then today, Wham! Brutal cold entering in...This one verifies most all the time.

The snow on the ground is 3 days...and it usually does not verify in central GA...maybe in NC.

The red sky deal actually has to do with the rotation of earth and the direction our weather systems come from...think...if the sun rises in the east and ice crystal clouds (usually indicates approaching storms) are coming in from the west, then you get the red sky effect.

Have also heard the thunder in winter bit....I can see truth in that....volitale and changing weather patterns.

[Cold Rain]

Grandparents were from NC...great-great grandmom was cherokee indian squaw .(sp?)

Have heard the blackbird thing...they were all over my yard last Sunday...then today, Wham! Brutal cold entering in...This one verifies most all the time.

The snow on the ground is 3 days...and it usually does not verify in central GA...maybe in NC.

The red sky deal actually has to do with the rotation of earth and the direction our weather systems come from...think...if the sun rises in the east and ice crystal clouds (usually indicates approaching storms) are coming in from the west, then you get the red sky effect.

Have also heard the thunder in winter bit....I can see truth in that....volitale and changing weather patterns.

I've noticed the blackbird thing working out quite a bit as well. I look for it every time there's a chance of winter weather. Most of the time, when I see them, we actually do get some snow (I usually notice them the day before or day of). If I don't see any, then my confidence is lower.

[superjames1992]

http://www.talkweath...59

Holy crap...there's 3 turtles in my yard today! Seriously that's weird....I wonder if it means anything though.

Edit: Another turtle with a red dot on his head just entered my yard. 4 Turtles haha...weird.

Maybe turtles mean something?