What the trees know

« A rowan tree, heavily laden with fruit foretelling a harsh winter. »

Talking about the weather and weather folklore has to be one of the few universal traits that transcends race and culture. Everybody has some goofy 'old wives tale' about a wolly worm with a full furry coat signals a harsh winter. This year, the rowan trees in Finland are practically bending to the ground they are so full of fruit which I am told is part of the Finnish weather folklore and warns people of a harsh winter approaching. I don't know that I believe it, but with the geese migrating early and the generally crappy weather we've had all summer long, I'm starting to wonder what nature knows that we don't.

Back home, we've got lots of weather sayings and wives tales, and some of them are pretty funny. I haven't found anything with a collection of Finnish weather folklore, but I'm guessing that it isn't terribly different. You have to wonder where some of these stories came from and why people still either believe them or mention them aside from their entertainment value.

Weather Folklore

• Horses run fast before a violent storm or before windy conditions.
• Pigs gather leaves and straw before a storm.
• Flowers close up before a storm.
• If the bull leads the cows to pasture, expect rain; if the cows precede the bull, the weather will be uncertain.
• Expect rain and maybe severe weather when dogs eat grass.
• Wolves always howl more before a storm.
• When the rooster goes crowing to bed, he will rise with a watery head.
• Ants are busy, gnats bite, crickets sing louder then usual, spiders come down from their webs, and flies gather in houses just before rain and possible severe storms.
• Evening red and morning gray are sure signs of a fine day.
• Evening gray and morning red, put on your hat or you'll wet your head.
• When small clouds join and thicken, expect rain.
• Dandelion blossoms close before a storm.
• If autumn leaves are slow to fall, prepare for a cold winter..
• When the leaves of trees turn over, it foretells windy conditions and possible severe weather.
• Redbirds or Bluebirds chatter when it's going to rain.
• Birds on a telephone wire indicate the coming of rain.
• Before a storm, cows will lie down and refuse to go out to pasture.
• When spiders weave their webs by Noon, fine weather is coming soon.
• If wasps build their nests high, the winter will be long and harsh.
• When it is evening you say, "It will be fair, for the sky is red." In the morning, "It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening." Matthew 16:2
• It will be a cold, snowy winter if:
  -Squirrels accumulate huge stores of nuts.
  -Beavers build heavier lodges than usual.
  -Hair on bears and horses is thick early in season.
  -the breastbone of a fresh-Cooked turkey is dark purple.
• A severe summer denotes a windy autumn; a windy winter a rainy spring; a rainy spring a severe summer; a severe summer a windy autumn; a month that comes in good, goes out bad.
• The sky turns green in a storm when there is hail.
• A veering wind will clear the sky, a backing wind says storms are nigh.
• When you look out your window and see your Dogs jumping around and ducking Its a sign that its hailing.
• When dogs in your house start looking paranoid schizophrenic expect very heavy sleet for 5 hours.