Why did the turtle cross the road? A warning that rain is on the way. I recently changed jobs and my new coworker is full of what I call folk advice. I will share with you his way of predicting weather. It involves turtles. He told me that when turtles cross the road and head uphill that we will have rain in the next twenty four hours. I am a woman of science and scoffed at this. I was curious though so I pulled out my itouch and set up a note for turtle watching. We have had a lot of rainy days. They haven’t had a lot of rain with them but a lot of rain. Well guess what we have had a lot of turtles crossing the road also.
Every time I would see a turtle crossing the road I would type in where, what day, what time and what species. The species didn’t end up being important because I only saw box turtles. Every time I saw a turtle that area would have rain within twenty fours after. I have only done this for a month but have been amazed. My coworker says western Kansas turtles are forty eight hour turtles. Well readers do urban turtles also predict weather? How about other states do your turtles also predict weather?
Here are some other weather sayings I have heard and a few I have thoughts on.
Cows herd to gather before a storm. In my experience being on a cattle ranch this is true. The cattle always seem to huddle together right before a storm and head into the wind.
If you see bees out then no rain. Bees won’t be caught out in the rain. Bees use light to orient themselves and before it rains there are ice crystals in the clouds. These clouds and crystals mess with the bee’s ability to “see” so they stay close to home.
Dandelions close up before rain. I have heard this but have not paid attention to it. I would hypothesize that the dandelion is protecting its seeds from the rain if it is true.
What are so old wives tales you have heard about the weather and your observations?
Every time I would see a turtle crossing the road I would type in where, what day, what time and what species. The species didn’t end up being important because I only saw box turtles. Every time I saw a turtle that area would have rain within twenty fours after. I have only done this for a month but have been amazed. My coworker says western Kansas turtles are forty eight hour turtles. Well readers do urban turtles also predict weather? How about other states do your turtles also predict weather?
Here are some other weather sayings I have heard and a few I have thoughts on.
Cows herd to gather before a storm. In my experience being on a cattle ranch this is true. The cattle always seem to huddle together right before a storm and head into the wind.
If you see bees out then no rain. Bees won’t be caught out in the rain. Bees use light to orient themselves and before it rains there are ice crystals in the clouds. These clouds and crystals mess with the bee’s ability to “see” so they stay close to home.
Dandelions close up before rain. I have heard this but have not paid attention to it. I would hypothesize that the dandelion is protecting its seeds from the rain if it is true.
What are so old wives tales you have heard about the weather and your observations?
