List Of Animals That Predict The Weather

logo by Editorial Staff | Updated on August 3rd, 2022

Do animals have the ability to forecast the weather? You’ve probably heard the countless myths, folklore, and mythology about animals that can forecast the weather. Punxsutawney Phil, the groundhog that forecasts when spring will arrive every February, is, of course, the most renowned animal meteorologist.


Are these accounts true? Can certain animals accurately anticipate the weather? With 12 different animals thought to have weather-predicting powers, we’ll sort reality from myth for you.

fawn pug covered by Burberry textile between plants

Why Can Animals Detect Weather Changes?

Why can animals detect changes in the weather that people cannot?

Animals, according to experts, are intensely aware of minute changes in their surroundings, such as barometric pressure, seasons, and humidity. Animals also have enhanced senses, which might explain their alleged weather-predicting skills and changes in behavior before a storm. They can sense, hear, and smell changes in the environment that people cannot.

Weather Prediction by Animals

Cats

Cats are known for their sensitivity; many think this heightened sensitivity allows them to foretell thunderstorms and other severe weather. A cat’s senses are far superior to those of humans. As a result, they can detect drops in air pressure.

Cats’ enhanced hearing allows them to detect thunder that is still far away. Experts believe they can also detect the metallic stench in the atmosphere immediately before a storm. Cats may also be able to detect the peculiar odor of rain.

Dogs

Many people believe that dogs have weather-predicting powers, which explains stories of canines warning families of oncoming dangers such as tornadoes or hurricanes. Their behavior might range from angry barking to whimpering and attempting to hide somewhere secure, like under the bed or in the closet.

Dogs may exhibit unusual behavior when they detect environmental and atmospheric changes, such as a reduction in pressure and electricity in the air before a storm. They also have a considerably stronger sense of smell than humans, allowing them to detect an impending thunderstorm before it occurs.

Cows

Perhaps you’ve heard the ancient adage that when cows lie down, it signals it’s going to rain. Another adage goes, “When a cow tries to scratch its ear, it signals a shower is on its way.”

Researchers sought to put this idea to the test, and they discovered that it was correct. Cows lose heat as they stand, so they lie down when the ambient temperature drops (like before a rainstorm). Wear a raincoat the next time you see a herd of cows resting in their pasture.

Elephants

Elephants have better hearing than humans and can hear sounds that people cannot. So, if an earthquake occurs, experts believe that elephants can hear it from a long distance and feel the vibrations through their huge feet. This sends the elephants that it is time to flee to higher and safer terrain. Perhaps we should follow!

Sheep

Sheep are another animal that can forecast the weather according to certain civilizations. People in Iceland, for example, believe that if the sheep begin to pee more often, it is a warning of impending rain and that brilliant yellow urine indicates a sunny and bright day.

It’s unknown whether or not this old wives’ tale is true. Another method sheep are said to predict the weather is when they start headbutting one other, which indicates strong winds.

Groundhogs

The groundhog is the most well-known animal for forecasting the weather. Every year on February 2nd, thousands go to Pennsylvania to see if Punxsutawney Phil would forecast six more weeks of winter or the arrival of spring.

Unfortunately, Phil is only around 39% of the time, so the judgment is still out on groundhogs’ ability to predict the weather. But there’s no doubting that seeing Punxsutawney Phil and partaking in the celebrations afterward is a lot of fun. That alone is enough to believe groundhogs are excellent meteorologists!

Birds

Bird activity can also be used to forecast an impending downpour or thunderstorm. According to legend, birds flying low to the ground foretell bad weather, although this may not be accurate.

Instead, suppose you notice unexpected migrations, a large number of birds perched on power wires, or seagulls swooping in from the ocean. In that case, it typically indicates that rainfall is on its way.

This is due to birds’ ability to detect infrasound, an extremely low frequency that humans cannot hear. Their enhanced hearing allows them to hear storms approaching from hundreds of kilometers distant.

Toads

The common toad is another animal that is said to be able to foresee the weather. They are supposed to be particularly adept at forecasting natural calamities. In April 2009, a catastrophic earthquake struck L’Aquila, Italy. A colony of toads in a pond near L’Aquila began leaving in droves five days before the earthquake; then, they reappeared a few days afterward.

Experts are uncertain how the toads detected the impending tragedy, but they believe it has something to do with changes in the Earth’s magnetic field and the amount of radon gas in the groundwater.

Frogs

These little amphibians are vulnerable to atmospheric and climatic changes, particularly global warming. Because frogs require water to survive and deposit their eggs, they are more likely to reproduce successfully after a good downpour. As a result, frogs may croak their mating calls more loudly just before a good rain, giving them the moisture and space they need to lay eggs.

Ladybugs

Ladybugs not only bring good luck, but they can also foretell the weather, according to legend. “When ladybugs swarm, expect a warm day,” the adage says. Warm weather brings these beetles out of hiding, flying around the garden. The beetles will remain concealed behind tree bark when the temperature decreases before a big rain.

Woolly Bear Caterpillars

Woolly bear caterpillars, according to mythology, can forecast how terrible the forthcoming winter will be by the colors on their bodies. You’re in for a long, cold winter if there’s more black than brown. Caterpillars indicate a moderate winter with a big brown central band and little black bands at the end.

Sorry, but this is a myth. Woolly bears’ physical hue has nothing to do with the weather. Color differences are explained by factors like age, nutrition, and species. Furthermore, molting seasons cause the hues to shift to a distinct pattern.

Ants

Ants can detect minute chemical traces in the air and sense changes in the environment using their extremely sensitive antennae. There is no way to know for sure if ants can detect poor weather or not since there is a shortage of credible scientific evidence supporting this purported weather-sensing capacity.

However, certain ant species that reside on flood plains may build levees around their nests 24 hours before a severe downpour to deflect water and keep their colony from flooding. During floods, fire ants survive by banding together to form a ball that may float on the water’s surface for days or weeks.

Crickets

Cricket is another weather predictor with scientific credentials. According to the Farmer’s Almanac, in 1857, scientist Amos Dolbear’s paper “‘The Cricket as a Thermometer’…noted the association between the ambient temperature and the pace at which crickets chirp,” as well as a formula for determining what those chirps represented.

Count the number of chirps you hear in 14 seconds and multiply by 40 to obtain the (rough) outdoor temperature. If you hear 30 chirps, the temperature outdoors is probably around 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Here’s why crickets, cicadas, and other bugs are so noisy.

Butterflies and bees

According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, insects and birds make the finest weather forecasts, and for similar reasons—namely, pressure-system alterations that restrict birds from flapping. So, if you look out in your yard and don’t see the typical pollinators, you are correct to believe that climate change is again at work in lowering species diversification.

In addition, and more quickly, a low-pressure system may have sent these tiny flyers looking for cover ahead of a storm. In case you’re wondering, here is where all the honeybees go to hide throughout the winter.

Spiders

You’re certainly not thrilled to discover spiders in your home—perhaps you should be! Not only do they catch and devour a variety of bothersome creatures, such as mosquitoes, but they can also predict the weather based on the temperature.

According to National Geographic, as the temperature outside cools, spiders seek sanctuary in your warm, cozy house. Black widows, on the other hand, are a reason for alarm.

These arachnids are especially opposed to being outside in the cold, so check if the house spider that’s taken up residence in the gloomy parts of your home, such as your closet or basement, isn’t poisonous. The good news is that this easy hack will keep spiders away from your home.

Sharks

Sharks are another species that can sense the weather. Scientists demonstrated this by studying and following a tiny shark population.

When Hurricane Gabrielle was set to arrive in 2001, blacktip sharks in Florida responded to the storm’s lowering barometric pressure. The sharks moved into considerably deeper water, which gave them more safety. Sharks, it appears, can forecast the weather. Who would have guessed?

fish

“Trout leap high when rain is on the way,” wonders the BBC. Maybe a little of both. Changes in barometric pressure may be felt by animals living beneath the water and those dwelling in the sky.

According to Accuweather, “when rain is ‘near’ or approaching, low-pressure systems often occur…[and] cause plant particles stuck at the bottom of a lake to rise.” Microscopic creatures are distributed throughout the water. As a result, providing food for little fish. Small fish, in turn, serve as food for bigger fish.” When this happens, many fish, most likely not only trout, increase their jumping activity.

Folklore and more animal forecasters

  • Fair weather is indicated by bats flying late in the evening.
  • Wolves howl louder before a storm.
  • If the mole digs a hole 212 feet deep, anticipate terrible weather; if it digs a hole two feet deep, expect moderate weather; if it digs a hole one foot deep, expect a mild winter.
  • Expect a chilly winter if pigs collect leaves and straw in the fall.
  • Expect a lengthy, cold winter if rabbits are plump in October and November.

Do Animals Have the Ability to Predict the Weather?

Do animals have the ability to forecast the weather? Despite tradition, myth, and legend, some scientific evidence shows that certain animal species can forecast the weather, such as impending rainstorms or natural calamities. It’s not true that every animal or insect on our list is a meteorologist, but it’s entertaining to think so. Don’t forget your umbrella the next time your pet begins behaving strangely!

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