Predict the weather with our collection of weather proverbs and folklore about rain and clouds.
- Unusual clearness in the atmosphere, with distant objects seen distinctly, indicates rain.
- Red sky at night, sailor’s delight. Red sky at morning, sailor take warning.
- Evening red and morning gray are sure signs of a fine day. Evening gray and morning red, put on your hat or you’ll wet your head.
- If it rains before seven, it will clear before eleven.
- Rain from the south prevents the drought, but rain from the west is always best.
- Anvil-shaped clouds bring on a gale.
- A cloud with a round top and flat base carries rainfall on its face.
- When small clouds join and thicken, expect rain.
- Black clouds in the north in winter indicates approaching snow.
- When there is enough blue sky to patch a Dutchman’s breeches, expect clearing weather
- A curdly sky will not leave the earth long dry.
- If you see clouds going crosswind, there is a storm in the air.
- Hen scarts and filly tails make lofty ships wear low sails.
- Clouds floating low enough to cast shadows on the ground are usually followed by rain.
- Mackerel sky, mackerel sky, never long wet, never long dry.
- If three nights dewless there be, ‘twill rain, you’re sure to see.
- If a heavy dew soon dries, expect fine weather; if it lingers on the grass, expect rain in 24 hours.
- With dew before midnight, the next day sure will be bright.
- If you wet your feet with dew in the morning, you may keep them dry for the rest of the day.
Did we miss any? Share your favorite weather lore!
Credit: Kassie Rogeness
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weather proverbs and folklore about rain and clouds.
when you see vapor trails in the sky, rain is close by (usually within 3 days)
Snow
My father always said "If the snow stays on the ground 3 days, there will be more," and it seems generally true here in the South.
Cows
When all of the cows in a field are headed in the same direction, it will soon rain.
RAIN
A wind from the south has rain in her mouth.
snow
if it thunders in winter 10 days later it will snow
Fog
I heard this one somewhere:
Fog at seven, sun by eleven, the rest of the day will be heaven.
SNOW
SNOW LIKE CORN MEAL, SNOW A GREAT DEAL.
This is not folklore but
This is not folklore but should be...when nascar races come to Bristol, expect rain the whole week. I've lived here all my life and it holds true.
If it rains on Easter Sunday,
If it rains on Easter Sunday, it will rain on the next seven Sundays.
Seven Sundays before Easter, or Seven Sunday's after
NE Oklahoma and Arkansas; I was always amazed at how many times the Farmers weather proverbs and prognostics were RIGHT, but as I grew older just realized there were just patterns. My Grandma always told me "it will either rain seven Sundays before Easter, or it will rain seven Sunday's after." But I cannot remember if it rained ON EASTER if that meant a heavy Thunderstorms/Tornado season for Oklahoma or not. Anyone know?
In references to snow: If the
In references to snow:
If the snow is fine, there's more behind.
If it's from the East, it'll be a beast.
One of my favorite sayings
One of my favorite sayings "Ring around Moon, Rain will come Soon".
Rainy nights in June and
Rainy nights in June and there will be a flood.
Another I have heard is when
Another I have heard is when seagulls fly in continuous circles or figure eights in the sky expect it to rain.
I have always heard that if
I have always heard that if it rains on Monday it will rain 3 days that week. I have found that to be pretty much true, and I am 66
Rain
Thats true
Bubbles on the water rain in
Bubbles on the water rain in 24 hours
If the sun shines while it's
If the sun shines while it's raining, my Mom used to say "the devil's beating his wife" lol!
No dew before 7, rain before
No dew before 7, rain before 11
MY MOM ALWAYS SAID BEFORE
MY MOM ALWAYS SAID BEFORE PLANTING IF IT THUNDERS IN FEB. THEN IT WILL FROST IN MAY
if it thunders in Feb. it
if it thunders in Feb. it will frost in May
most people say red sky in
most people say red sky in morning sailors warning and so on but my family say sheppard instead of sailor
its raining cats and dogs
its raining cats and dogs
My Dutch sister in-law always
My Dutch sister in-law always say,"If there is enough blue in the sky to patch a Dutchman's pants, it won't rain today."
The phrase, "Red sky at
The phrase, "Red sky at night, sailor's delight; red sky in the morning, sailor's take warning" is actually a British phrase (so I've heard anyway). Because their weather movement directions are reversed compared to ours, we should technically reverse the rhyme! When I do this, the rhyme is ONE HUNDRED PERCENT accurate for we New Englanders! Cool, huh?
Big snow, no snow. Small
Big snow, no snow. Small snow, lots of snow.
If the sun shines during a
If the sun shines during a rain storm, it will rain the same time tomorrow.
A mackerel sky is filled with
A mackerel sky is filled with a regular pattern of altocumulus clouds somewhat resembling the skin of a mackerel. I think a curdly sky is the same as a "buttermilk sky" also patterned formations but more like lumpy cloud puffs- reminds me of the Hoagy Carmichael song "Ole buttermilk sky, I'm keepin' my eye peeled on you -What's the good word tonight -are you gonna be mellow tonight?"
curdled sky is the same as
curdled sky is the same as buttermilk sky - that was one of the ways my grandfather watched for rain. Curdled/Buttermilk sky is usually altocumulus clouds -usually on a warm and humid summer morning & usually followed by thunderstorms. We dont have mackerels in this area so I guess that mackerel sky never became a catch phrase down in my neck of the woods.
In England we have a little
In England we have a little rhyme.
Mackerel sky,mackerel sky,not long wet,not long dry.
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