Amateur Weather Forecasters

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My grandfather always claimed that his aching bones were better predictors of bad weather than the forecast given by the professionals.

There are genuine effects that can be felt in our bodies when atmospheric pressure changes. Since low pressure usually proceeds unsettled or stormy weather, these effects can assist us forecasting the weather. When the barometer falls, tiny bubbles of gas within the body can expand and exert pressure on nerves, especially around rheumatic joints, bunions or sensitive teeth. Many people get headaches when the weather changes.

Astute observers of nature have noticed that changes in air pressure also affect animal behaviour. Some fishermen claim that fish won’t bite because they’re sensitive to small atmospheric pressure changes.

There is little concrete evidence, however, that animals have instinctive insight into long range weather patterns. If a squirrel gathers extra acorns, it doesn’t reliably indicate that a severe winter is approaching. It more likely means that there’s a bumper crop of acorns!

Often it’s difficult to separate folk lore from facts. On Groundhog Day clearly the groundhog’s shadow means no more than any other shadow, and the groundhog is as unreliable at predicting long range weather trends as the rest of us.

So next time you play weather forecaster, pay more attention to your rheumatic knee.