Red sky at night, shepherd’s delight: Is weather folklore really accurate?

RED sky at night, shepherd’s delight, red sky in the morning . . . you know the rest, writes Lisa Hunter.

But do you believe it’s accurate?

Along with “weather folklore” such as cows lying down signalling rain, three-quarters of Brits do swear by these “indicators”.

To establish, once and for all, whether or not there is any truth in these signs, the Met Office teamed up with radio DJ Scott Mills and Met Office meteorologist and presenter Charlie Powell.

“We were blown away by just how many people use traditional methods to forecast the weather,” said Charlie.

So what holds weight and what’s just a myth?

Red sky at night, shepherd’s delight — CORRECT

This is because high pressure tends to lead to good weather. High pressure traps dust and dirt in the air, which scatters blue light, only leaving the red light remaining — hence the reddish appearance of the sky.

It can be too cold to snow — NOT CORRECT IN THE UK

The colder the air gets (for example -20°) the less water vapour there is, reducing the likelihood of snow. However, there are many other deciding factors when it comes to whether it will snow or not, and it is unlikely that in the UK, we’d experience temperatures cold enough to make it less likely to snow.

Cows lie down when it is about to rain — FALSE

There is no scientific backing for this. Cows lie down for a number of reasons, and there is no evidence to suggest it is related to rain.

Pine cones open up when good weather is coming — CORRECT

In dry weather, pine cones dry out, which causes their scales to stand out more stiffly, giving an “open” appearance. In damp conditions, they become more flexible and return to a more closed shape.

Rain before seven, fine by eleven — often correct

Weather systems in the UK are often spawned in the Atlantic, and these systems can sweep across the UK very quickly. So, on many occasions, four hours will allow enough time for the rain to pass. But, in some conditions, such as when there is a lack of wind, rain can hang around for much longer.