Weather Lore

Before there were weather apps for your smartphone, Doppler radar, or the National Weather Service, our ancestors were busy observing their natural surroundings and noticed that animal behavior, clouds, and other elements of nature gave clues about the weather to come.

The result: weather folklore — sayings, rhymes and anecdotes that were passed down from generation to generation. Weather lore is one of our favorite subjects here at Farmers’ Almanac, and It’s been a reader favorite since our very first edition in 1818.

Below is a collection from our archives.

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What’s The Weather Lore Behind the Morton Salt Slogan?

What's the meaning behind the “When it rains, it pours" slogan? And why does salt cake together on muggy or rainy days in the first place? Find out.

While most of us are familiar with "April showers bring May flowers," there are many other weather folklore sayings associated with the spring season, which is notorious for wild, crazy weather. Which of these have you heard?

Want To Know The Weather? Watch The Animals featured image

Folklore says these animals are the ones to observe closely!

Can Birds Predict “Fowl” Weather? featured image

Our ancestors observed bird behavior to predict the weather. How many of these old sayings about feathered forecasters, plucked from folklore, do you know?

“Mackerel Sky” – Weather Lore That’s A Bit Fishy featured image

Do these old weather lore rhymes still hold water today? And what do they have to do with fish?

Winter Weather Lore and Wasps’ Nests featured image

More signs from nature of what we can expect for the winter ahead include how the wasps are building their nests. What are they doing in your back yard?