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'In like a lion, out like a lamb': More weather sayings and proverbs explained
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The first day of spring is March 20, 2009
As the first day of spring (March 20) quickly approaches, I’m encouraged to share more proverbs and sayings about the weather. After my first article on the subject, I received a number of e-mails from readers about weather-related sayings they’ve heard over the years. (Unfortunately, it was up to me to see if they were true or not.)
The ash before the oak,
Choke, choke, choke
The oak before the ash,
Splash, splash, splash
I’d never heard this one before, but it was whimsical enough for me to look into. Apparently, “choke” is an antiquated way of saying “dry weather,” while “splash” refers to wet weather. In short, the saying says that if oak trees bud before ash trees, we’re in for rain. If it’s the other way around, look out for a dry spell.
Turns out, trees don’t simply bud because of warm weather. There’s more to it than that. It’s all dictated by moisture in the ground. If the fall was a particularly dry one (like Ohio’s in 2008), trees don’t have much moisture to draw from. Fortunately for oak trees, they have deep taproots and can draw moisture that’s stored deep in the ground. Ash trees, on the other hand, have shorter root systems and can only draw moisture from top soil. If oak trees bud before ash trees, it means there is little moisture in the ground.
Interestingly, this proverb really says more about the harmony of nature than anything else. It rests on the notion that a wet spring won’t follow a wet fall. Weather records don’t always reflect this, however. Still, it’s a fun saying.
Some similar proverbs:
Easter in snow,
Christmas in mud;
Christmas in snow,
Easter in mud.
If the spring be cold and wet,
The autumn will be cold and dry.
Wet May, dry July.
Winter thunder bodes summer hunger.
If it rains on Easter Sunday, it will rain for seven Sundays in a row.
Another reader asked whether those with rheumatoid arthritis are more sensitive to the weather than other people. And while I’m unaware of any sayings that deal with rheumatism (probably because "rheumatism" is a difficult word to rhyme), this is true.
According to one study:
Such people are sometimes described as "weather sensitive". They speak of "feeling under the weather" and "my aches and pains speak of coming rains." Their ailments appear to be aggravated by certain weather conditions such as damp, chilly conditions, rising humidity, rapidly falling barometric pressure and gusty winds. These particular conditions may cause swelling of the joints and it may be that the swelling irritates the nerves around the joints that sense the pain. It is likely that the joints' membranes act as a barometer and then expand as the air pressure drops. This in turn can cause increased pressure of the fluids that lubricate the joint.
Also, I received a couple of comments about how fish bite more readily right before a storm. I happen to recall this from my childhood as well, but never knew if it was true.
It is.
Like arthritis, this phenomenon is linked to the falling barometer. Low pressure releases plant matter from the bottom of rivers and lakes. It also releases gas, which turn into bubbles that tend to stick to the plant matter. The bubbles rise to the surface, attracting fish looking for food. You can actually see a difference in water color when the barometer begins to fall. Most times, the water will take on a darker hue or, sometimes, a foamy texture. Either way, it’s yet another weather saying that (pun intended) holds water.
One more familiar saying:
If March comes in like a lion, it goes out like a lamb.
Believe it or not, this saying has absolutely nothing to do with the weather. It's actually rooted in the constellations: Leo, the Lion, and Aries, the lamb. The saying refers to the relative positions of Leo and Aries in the sky at the beginning and end of the month. At the beginning of the month, Leo is rising over the horizon; at the end of the month, it’s Aries. Over time, it's simply become linked to March weather which is, typically, worse at the beginning than it is at the end.
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