Weather Lore -Fact or Fiction

By David Beer

Eastbourne Local Members Group

Members of the Eastbourne Sussex Wildlife Trust Local Group and their guests were treated to an excellent talk entitled ‘Weather Lore -Fact or Fiction’ by Ian Currie. Ian is a very experienced meteorologist who has spent many years working for the BBC. He illustrated his talk with a superb selection of photographs, of which the majority were taken in Sussex. He produced a steady stream of meteorological facts and figures all from memory. 

We were surprised to hear that Eastbourne holds the UK record for the number of consecutive dry spring days - 60 in 1893 and that on 5th September 1958 hailstones fell on Sussex that were the size of a grapefruit. He peppered his talk with weather sayings from the past and gave us credible explanations as to why they were so widely used. We all left much the wiser with regard to cloud formations and what they tell us about the weather in the coming hours. 

Finally we were told in no uncertain terms not to shelter under Oak or Beech trees during a thunderstorm which was reinforced with a photograph of a tree split in two by a lighting strike and also the hazards of sea swimming in May with the old saying ‘ He who bathes in May will soon be under clay’ !