Just had a bit of a thunderstorm.
Thunder has spawned a wealth of weather lore. Generally, it is said that thunderstorms arriving from the west are followed by fine weather, often associated with strong breezes. Thunder from the south is frequently followed by warm weather while thunderstorms from the north herald a colder period. Thunder in the morning means wind, thunder at noon means rain, while thunder in the evening is thought to herald a mighty tempest.
It is widely thought that thunderstorms develop in any season when the temperature is hotter than normal, but they are bred when a cold wind passes over the heated area. It was often said by our ancient weather prognosticators that great heats after the summer solstice usually end in thunderstorms, while a very old piece of lore states: “Winter thunder, summer’s wonder.”
Storms have usually been considered an omen of divine wrath, and in most cultures a person struck and killed by lightning was thought to have been directly struck down by a deity. In ancient Rome a person killed this way was hastily buried without extensive mourning rites, and it was also frowned upon to rebuild any home struck by lightning.
In Britain in past centuries, a storm was usually considered the work of the devil; witches were also often accused of raising storms and at witch trials accusations were often made of deliberate attempts to damage property or sink ships by raising a storm. Some wise-women and cunning-men sold knotted threads to sailors which were supposed to have the power of the wind bound into them; one knot would be untied to release a wind until the sailor had as much as he
needed. Some people still cover all the mirrors in their house during a thunderstorm; it used to also be believed that windows and doors should be left open so that if the thunder got into the house, it could get out without having to damage anything. A comforting superstition states that lightning never strikes twice in the same place, but since many high buildings have been struck repeatedly, it is also untrue.
An old rhyme speaks of which tree is least likely to attract a lightning strike, and therefore should be sheltered under if caught outside during a storm:
'Beware of the oak, it draws the stroke,
Avoid the ash, it courts the flash,
Creep under a thorn, it will save you from harm'.
A winter thunderstorm was once thought to be an omen of death for a great man.
Storm Weather Lore: 'Thunder in spring rain will bring'.
Thunder in the evening often means several days of wet, sultry weather. (ladyoftheearth.com)
