Can a pine cone predict the weather?

According to weather folklore, a pine cone can tell us rain is on the way. Now that I have your attention, here's how this folk tale goes. If you've ever seen a pine cone, you know they open up, much the way a flower does, exposing the nut inside for germination. If you have not seen a pine cone, you are clearly not from the South, but I'm getting off topic. According to this bit of folklore, a pine cone will close up when the humidity rises before an approaching rain storm in order to protect the tiny nut hidden deep inside. When you notice all the pine cones are closed, rain is on the way very soon.

Tuesday night on News 13 at 5, I started a little science project of sorts to see if this popular tale is fact or myth. Knowing that rain is in the forecast tonight, I placed 2 pine cones on the ground noting their opened up state. Tonight on News 13 at 5, I will check in on the pine cones 24 hours later to see if they have indeed closed up to indicate rain is coming. I must say that even I don't know for sure what to expect, so I will find out the results the same time you do.

So, if I have peaked your curiosity today, be sure to tune into News 13 at 5 today (Wednesday 10/8) to see if your local meteorologists may one day be replaced by forecasting pine cones!

Posted by on 10/08 at 10:12 AM

Should the pine cone be attached or detached from the tree? Or, does it matter?

Posted by  on  10/08  at  03:19 PM

I wondered the same thing Dave, but couldn’t find it mentioned anywhere.  I don’t believe it matters because my experience in the South tells me that very few pine trees have limbs less than about 30 feet from the ground, making them both difficult to see.  I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to climb a tree every time I want a forecast.

Posted by  on  10/09  at  05:31 AM

Certainly you are right Chris. Many pine cones are way up there, but not all of them. There a type of tree in the yard next door that has pine cones about the size of a golf ball and you can stand flat footed and touch some of them. Am I lucky or what? My own rain prognosticator right there at my finger tips. I missed the 5:00 broadcast yesterday unfortunately.

Posted by  on  10/09  at  10:39 AM

I tell you what Dave—as one of our weather watchers, keep an eye on those pine cones and let me know if you see any difference in appearance on sunny days vs. rainy days.  Most folklore is not completely made up, so your trees are smarter than ours in the News 13 parking lot!

Posted by  on  10/10  at  10:20 AM

Correction to my last comment…I meant to say, “so MAYBE your trees are smarter than ours in the News 13 parking lot!

Posted by  on  10/10  at  10:21 AM

Can a pine cone predict the weather?

If Ed over at TV 15 can…then I guess a pine cone stands a fair chance as well..wink

Posted by  on  10/10  at  01:47 PM

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