Observe animals and you’ll see that they, too, have their own ways of predicting weather. Here are some animal weather proverbs and prognostics:
- Expect rain when dogs eat grass, cats purr and wash, sheep turn into the wind, oxen sniff the air, and swine are restless.
- If the bull leads the cows to pasture, expect rain; if the cows precede the bull, the weather will be uncertain.
- When cats sneeze, it is a sign of rain.
- When cattle lie down in the pasture, it indicates early rain.
- Bats flying late in the evening indicates fair weather.
- If the groundhog sees its shadow on Candlemas Day (February 2), six more weeks of winter remain.
- When horses and cattle stretch out their necks and sniff the air, it will rain.
- If the mole digs its hole 2½ feet deep, expect severe weather; if two feet deep, not so severe; if one foot deep, a mild winter.
- When pigs gather leaves and straw in all, expect a cold winter.
- When rabbits are fat in October and November, expect a long, cold winter.
- If sheep ascend hills and scatter, expect clear weather.
- Wolves always howl more before a storm.
Did you know? You can also predict the temperature by measuring how often crickets chirp. Find out how here! Plus, learn how to use woolly bear caterpillars to predict winter weather.
Also, check out this great video to learn more about how animals predict the weather.
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