[PeterEnglish]

I was in the garden with the kids this morning. I pointed out the swallows and house martins flying high, and tried to bet the kids their week's pocket money that it would be a nice day. Unfortunately, I got no takers - I'd forgotten I'd told the kids about swallows, flies and humidity last year!

But it got them talking about other ways to predict the weather.

Everyone knows about "Red sky at night" and "If the oak is out before the ash", and my Gran always swore by "Rain before seven, fine for eleven", but can I have some posts with other traditional, nature-derived weather sayings, please?

[mountainy man]

see below !

[walltoall]

"Raining by seven dry by eleven"
(warm fronts usually take four hours to pass through.)

"A rising breeze with a falling glass means dropping rain will come to pass"
(here comes a cold front)

[kindredspirit]

What you need is a weatherstone!

[PeterEnglish]

Mountainyman; from my garden, I can't see a decent mountain unless I point my telescope at the Montes Haemus (about 370,000 km away, just next to the Mare Serenitatis). My bit of Meath is flat. Very flat! Don't you have any sayings about happy sheep, or cows eating rhubarb, or spiders, or Old Man's Wellies?

Kindredspirit; I like the stone, but my kids ask me to pass on the following message: "You're nuts!"

So that leaves me with one sensible answer from Walltoall. Thank you, Walltoall.

I eagerly await further replies. I'd like to have a good selection of Irish weather traditions to put to the test. Anyone recommend a decent book on the subject?

[artalis]

Came across this title on google, "Weather Lore: A Collection of Proverbs, Sayings and Rules Concerning the Weather," by Richard Inwards.

....more from googling.......here

"If onion skins are very thin, then winter's mild when coming in, but if onion skins are thick and tough, winter comes in cold and rough."


"A halo around the moon means rain soon."


"When Swallows fly high the weather will be dry,but when Swallows fly low get your rain gear in tow."

"Mare's tails and mackerel sky, not long wet and not long dry ."

"The moon and the weather may change together,
But a change of the moon, will not change the weather.

A ring around the sun or moon, means rain or snow coming soon.

When grass is dry at morning light
Look for rain before the night.

Dew on the grass, rain won't come to pass.

Sea gull, sea gull, sit on the sand,
It's never good weather while you're on the land.

When sea-gulls fly to land, a storm is at hand.

Rain before seven, fine before eleven.
Evening red and morning grey, two sure signs of one fine day.

The sudden storm lasts not three hours
The sharper the blast, the sooner 'tis past.

The higher the clouds the better the weather.

Cold is the night when the stars shine bright.

Sound travelling far and wide, a stormy day betide.

When the forest murmurs and the mountain roars,
Then close your windows and shut your doors.

When leaves show their undersides, be very sure that rain betides.

Chimney smoke descends, our nice weather ends.

When the night goes to bed with a fever, it will awake with a wet head.

When stars shine clear and bright,
We will have a very cold night.

When the ditch and pond offend the nose,
Then look out for rain and stormy blows.

Three days rain will empty any sky.

The farther the sight, the nearer the rain.

Rain long foretold, long last,
Short notice, soon will pass.

If bees stay at home, rain will soon come,
If they flay away, fine will be the day.

The first and last frosts are the worst.

When clouds look like black smoke a wise man will put on his cloak.

A rainbow afternoon,
Good weather coming soon.

A rainbow in the morning, is the shepherd's warning
A rainbow at night is the shepherd's delight.

When the chairs squeak, it's of rain they speak.

Catchy drawer and sticky door,
Coming rain will pour and pour.

The winds of the daytime wrestle and fight,
Longer and stronger than those of the night.

Dust rising in dry weather is a sign of approaching change.

Sun sets Friday clear as bell,
Rain on Monday sure as hell.

No weather's ill if the wind be still.

The squeak of the snow will the temperature show.

When smoke hovers close to the ground, there will be a weather change.

When down the chimney falls the soot
Mud will soon be underfoot.

When the sun shines while raining,
it will rain the same time again tomorrow.

When the wind blows from the west, fish bite best.
When it blows from the east, fish bite least.

If salt is sticky,
And gains in weight;
It will rain
Before too late.


When clouds appear like rocks and towers,
The Earth's refreshed by frequent showers.

When the wind is in the east, 'tis neither good for man nor beast."


artalis

[PeterEnglish]

This looks like it's going to be big science project - I'd better buy the kids a larger scrap book!

Artalis, many thanks. It will be interesting to see how these proverbs stand up to local study. Most of my childhood was spent outside Ireland, where the emphasis was more on "seasonal variations" rather than "rain as an almost daily occurrence", so I've obviously missed out!

Any further suggestions will be gratefully received.

[artalis]

You are welcome Peter,

artalis