Will-o-the-wisps are spooky floating lights believed to lead unwary travelers to their doom. Learn more!
Read MoreWeather 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.
Learn what the Algonquin tribes believed was the cause behind the changing colors of fall.
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In ancient China, it was once believed that a dragon controlled the rain.
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The ancient Greeks believed the Sun traveled across the sky in a flaming chariot pulled by four fiery, winged horses. Learn more!
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July is the start of many summer events that prompted a wave of weather folklore sayings. See the list!
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The Seneca Tribe once believed tornadoes were actually an evil spirit named Dagwanoenyent. Learn more!
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Much like a "badger summer"—a period of unseasonable warmth in the middle of autumn—periods of cold snaps during springtime have a name. Learn more about these "Little Winters."
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The ancient Greeks believed there were four wind gods — one representing each cardinal direction — each with a personality of his own. Learn more.
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Will it snow? Here are some signs from nature you may want to look for.
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Perhaps you’ve heard the old proverb that warns not to plant until after the “Three Ice Men” have passed, but do you know who these mysterious Ice Men are? We explain.
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