Want To Know The Weather? Watch The Animals
Folklore says these animals are the ones to observe closely!
While groundhogs are the most famous for predicting the weather, they aren’t the only creatures that can tip you off about what to expect outside. Our ancestors watched the behavior of all sorts of animals to determine what was to come. The result? Colorful weather folklore has been passed down from generation to generation. Are they always accurate? Depends on who you ask! At the very least, folklore is enjoyable and reminds us of a simpler time, especially in this high-tech world we live in.
Below is a list of animals known for their weather forecasting abilities.
1. Wolves
Wolves always howl more before a storm.
2. Cows
When a cow endeavors to scratch its ear, it means a shower is very near.
3. Birds
Wild geese, wild geese, going out to sea, all fine weather it will be.
Wild geese, wild geese, going to the hill, The weather it will spill.
If the robin sings in the bush, then the weather will be coarse;
If the robin sings on the barn, then the weather will be warm.
If the rooster crows on going to bed, you may rise with a watery head.
When the swallow’s nest is high, the summer is very dry;
When the swallow buildeth low, you can safely reap and sow.
Check out more bird weather folklore!
4. Elk
Deer and elk come down from the mountains at least two days before a storm.
5. Deer
When deer are in gray coat in October, expect a severe winter.
6. Donkeys
When the donkey blows his horn,
‘Tis time to house your hay and corn.
7. Squirrels
When a squirrel eats nuts in a tree,
weather is as warm as warm can be.
8. Cats
When the cat lies in the Sun in February,
she will creep behind the stove in March.
If a cat sits with its back to the fire,
frost and hard weather can be expected.
More cat forecasting folklore here.
So before you put away your foul weather gear, observe how your pets or wild animals are behaving!
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I live in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. I have noticed the deer on our property that their coats have turned grey in the last few weeks, thus a hard winter for us!
I have heard that with the ladybugs they never have been wrong about the weather and it is 6 months in advance as well. Love those ladies#!!
If you rub their back they bring you good luck to also when a certain part of my body hurts there’s a storm coming
I always heard that when you heard your first locus near the end of summer it was six more weeks until frost.
Love those weather predictors. Some actually make sense.
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When a squirrel builds it’s winter nest look where it is placed in the tree. If it is up high in the tree, that means we will have a lot of snow for winter. If it is lower in the tree, that means less snow. If it is placed in the outer, thinner branches, that means it will not be very windy that winter. If it is placed in a crotch of a branch that means a windy winter. If it is built against a trunk, look for a bad winter. Also if you don’t see many nests in a good squrrel area, winter is not yet set in. When you see a lot of nests all of a sudden, then winter is finally set in. And the opposite is true for spring. When suddenly all the nests are disappearing, spring is finally here.
When butchering a chicken from your area in the fall, look at the grizzly part on the breast bone. If it is long, that means you will have a long winter. If it is short, you will have a short winter. If it is narrow, it will be a cold winter. If it is wide, that means it will be a mild winter.
If you see a fly in your home in winter, that means warm weather is either here or will be.
If it is raining and chickens won’t go outside in it. That means the rain will soon stop. But if the chickens go outside in the rain, that means that it will rain all day.
WHEN PECAN TREES START TO BUD, WINTER IS OVER. OTHER TREES CAN BE FOOLED; BUT, NOT THE PECAN TREE
I’ve heard old people say if the husk on corn is thick it will be hard winter ❄️. Also if it’s raining ☔️ and the dew is risen that’s a sign the rain will end.
Here in MS you can bet it will rain soon after your hear the rain frogs croak! We have gone through many dry spells in the summer and early fall and they were silent. Once your hear them, at any time of the day, we usually get rain within 24 hours.
It is my humble opinion, but I firmly believe that animals know more than we do when it comes to predicting weather, especially when it come to the winter forecast, I’m on my way to 92 years of living on this blessed Earth, and some things never change. for which I’m very grateful. <3