Some people rely more on weather lore than the weatherman. Here are some of our favorite weather adages for May, courtesy of The Old Farmer’s Almanac. Do any ring true for you?
Do you believe in this age-old lore? Share your thoughts—and any lore that comes to mind in the comments below.
Weather Lore for May
Dry May, wet June.
Cold, wet May,
Barn full of hay.
A cold May and a windy
Makes a barn full and findy.
(“Findy” means plentiful and substantial.)
A May flood never did anyone good.
Cold weather always falls on May 11, 12, and 13.
St. Pancras Day (May 12) never passes without frost.
More Weather Lore:
When a cat washes her face over her ear,
’Tis a sign the weather will be fine and clear.
Clouds moving in opposite directions mean rain in about 12 hours.
When apple blossoms bloom at night,
For 15 days no rain in sight.
Three Chilly Saints
Ever heard of the Three Chilly Saints? Mamertus, Pancras, and Gervais were three early Christian saints. Because their feast days, on May 11, 12, and 13, respectively, are traditionally cold, they have come to be known as the Three Chilly Saints. An old French saying goes: “St. Mamertus, St. Pancras, and St. Gervais do not pass without a frost.”
For more weather-related facts and fun, don’t forget to get yourself a copy of The Old Farmer’s Almanac!
Reader Comments
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May 12 weather lore
My great-grandmother said it was always cold and rainy on May 12 because it was sheep-shearing weather.
Weather
When pecan leaves are seen no more cold weather for present season.
weather lore
Always have believed in weather lore.
lovely, AND helpful, folklore
lovely, AND helpful, folklore.
while folklore may not be millimeter accurate,
it contains truths that science can scarcely measure.
Weather Lore
If the moon is foggy ay night, it will rain within three days (it usually does).
Then, there's the old standby:
Red sky ay night, sailor's delight (good weather),
Red sky at morn, sailors be warned (storm coming).
I love the weather folklore
I love the weather folklore provided by the almanac.
in regard to the three chilly saints....as long as I have been paying attention, there has been a frost during this period and I usually wait for them to pass before getting too far into my plantings for the year.
this year looks like the exception, the long term forecast looks quite warm.
When ants build a wall around
When ants build a wall around the entrance to their hole, it's going to rain.
When the leaves on the trees turn upside-down, it's going to rain.
I, too, have heard of the
I, too, have heard of the leaves turning upside down when rain is imminent.
If there is no dew on the
If there is no dew on the grass, chance of rain that day.
Blackberry Winter: It will be colder than average when the blackberries bloom.
If it thunders in February
If it thunders in February ,it will frost that date in May.
If it rains the first three days of June, the black berries will to puny .
More weather lore: "The
More weather lore:
"The weather on Easter foretells the weather on Whitsunday (Pentecost.)"
"If the geese at Martin’s Day (November 11) stand on ice, they will walk in mud at Christmas."
My grandmother, born on
My grandmother, born on Georgia farm in 1901, always said "if the cows are lying down, it's going to rain".
Oh yes, if the cows are
Oh yes, if the cows are laying down it is indeed going to rain