Twenty old sayings, one truth verdict each: TRUE, PARTIAL, or FALSE. Some of these are surprisingly accurate. Some are pure invention.
At mid-latitudes, weather typically moves west to east. A red sunset means dry air is coming from the west (fair weather ahead). A red sunrise means the fair weather has already passed and moist storm-bearing air is arriving. This holds up scientifically in the Northern Hemisphere mid-latitudes.
"Towers" is a folk term for cumulonimbus development. Vertically growing clouds mean instability and rising air, both of which favor thunderstorms and showers. Perfectly accurate.
Weather systems in the UK often move fast enough that an early-morning shower has passed by mid-morning. In many maritime climates this is roughly right. In tropical or monsoonal climates, it's not.
Halos around the moon (or sun) are caused by ice crystals in high cirrostratus clouds. Cirrostratus often precedes an approaching warm front, which brings rain within 12-36 hours. Legitimate short-range indicator.
Studies of cow behavior have found no consistent correlation with precipitation. Cows lie down for many reasons, most of them unrelated to weather. If you see cows lying, you cannot conclude anything about rain.
Groundhog Day predictions match actual weather patterns no better than random chance. Punxsutawney Phil has been "right" about 39% of the time over a century.
Mackerel sky refers to cirrocumulus patterns, which typically appear in changeable weather patterns. The saying accurately describes unsettled short-cycle weather.
19th-century belief used to promote homesteading of the Great Plains — the idea that farming would somehow bring rainfall. Disastrously wrong. The Plains reverted to their natural drought cycles.
Thundersnow is unusual and usually associated with strong cold-air outbreaks. Snow within a week is often correct in higher latitudes, but the seven-day specificity is folklore.
Increasing humidity makes leaves soften and orient differently. Strengthening pre-storm winds can flip leaves upward. Both point to weather changes, so this old saying has real basis.
Dolbear's Law: count the chirps of a snowy tree cricket in 14 seconds and add 40 to get Fahrenheit. Amazingly accurate to within a couple of degrees. Different cricket species need different formulas.
Same logic as red sky at morning. A morning rainbow means the sun is in the east and the rain-producing cloud is in the west — heading toward you.
Heavy dew forms on calm, clear nights with high humidity. Those conditions are typically not conducive to rainy weather in the next 12 hours. Reasonable short-term indicator.
Cold winters do kill some crop pests. But cold winters can also damage roots and delay planting. Net effect on yield is minor at best.
No statistical relationship between early-March and late-March weather. Sounds nice, means nothing.
Their color bands are related to their diet and life stage, not winter's severity. Charming legend, no science.
In the British Isles, easterlies bring cold dry air from the continent (uncomfortable in winter) or hot dry air (uncomfortable in summer). Not universal — in New England, easterlies from the Atlantic can be very pleasant.
Any correlation between moon phase and storms is not statistically significant. Studies find no relationship.
Bees are sensitive to humidity, barometric pressure and temperature. Rapid changes in these preceding a storm do reduce their foraging. So bees "predicting" rain is real animal behavior, if inconsistent as a forecast.
Ants work all the time. Rain has no consistent effect on ant activity that would make them a useful indicator.