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.

Signs of Rain in Nature

Signs of Rain in Nature featured image

Up to the early 19th-century most Americans lived in rural settings. For them, changes in nature and even animal behavior served as weather predictors. What natural signs have you noticed before rain approaches? I’ve noticed that flies cling to the window screens before rain. Flies and horseflies are more bothersome just before it rains. Also,

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