Which immediately brings up a question. If he or she is only a few weeks or months old, is it a groundpig? I should not admit this, but back in the 1970s/80s when I was still in the NWS, we used to write groundhog stories on the midnight shift on February 1 or 2 . [...]

Folklore was an important part of weather forecasting in the 19th century in Europe. Without any official source of weather forecasts, farmers and country people became especially alert to weather signs. Thousands of weather proverbs touted various indicators from nature, including animal behavior. The Chief of the young American weather service, which was part of [...]

Red sky in morning, sailor take warning is the old piece of weather folklore. Saturday morning was a prime example of how it works across Central Alabama. Reader Kim Beasley sent us fine photographs of the scene early Saturday morning. Altocumulus clouds ahead of an approaching disturbance to the west of Alabama glowed a beautiful [...]

The Spanish have a bit of interesting weather folklore. They believe that the weather on the first twelve days of January foretells the weather for the twelve months of the coming year. For example, if January 1st dawns cool and clear, then warms up during the day, then it rains that night, January will start [...]