Weather Predictions

Oughterard Newsletter

Marie O'Neill

Summertime is apparently upon us. Although we did encounter some great sunshine for a short while it quickly returned to rain (as usual). Every year we hear that we are in store for an “Indian Summer”. I know that I for one am still waiting for this glorious sunshine.

Are you one of many that watch the evening news, waiting anxiously to hear the weather forecast to the coming days. But how accurate are they really? How often do they get it wrong?  Who is better at predicting our weather really, the scientists or our older generation? We have all heard our peers at some stage predicting rain or sunshine, be it a change in the colour of the sky or from their aching corns.

Weather lore is a traditional belief which consists of a collection of proverbs and sayings that have been passed on from generation to generation over hundreds of years, generally in rhyme. The purpose was to instruct farmers, sailors, herdsmen etc. on how to predict the weather. The reason for its poetic nature was to make it easier to pass on to later generations.  By making correct use of weather lore, could we really find ourselves with the ability to outguess the modern weatherman with our own forecasts? Here are just a few proverbs for doing just that. Why not put them to the test. You never know, you just might get it right.

a.   When dew is on the grass, rain will never come to pass; when grass is dry at morning light, look for rain before the night.

b.   If a cat washes her face o’er her ear, ‘tis a sign the weather will be fine and clear.

c.   Evening red and morning grey, helps the traveller on his way, evening grey and morning red, brings soon rain upon his head.

d.   Fish bite least with wind in the east

e.   When the ditch and the pond affect the nose, look out for rain and stormy blows.

f.   Trout jump high when rain is nigh.

g.   If the rooster crows on going to bed, you may rise with a watery head.  

h.   When oak is out before the ash, ‘twill be a summer of wet and splash. But if the ash before the oak, ‘twill be a summer of fire and smoke.

i.   Expect the weather to be fair, when crows fly, in pairs. 

j.   A swarm of bees in May, is worth a load of hay.

A Final Note.

When the sky is red in the morning and sounds travel far at night; when fish jump high from the water and flies stick tight and bite; when you can’t get salt from your shaker and your corn gives you extra pain. There’s no need to consult an almanac. You just know its going to rain

 

This page was added on 28/06/2011.

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