This year's cold spell was unusually strong, bringing drastic cooling and widespread snowfall across the country. Snow in winter is considered a good sign, but in recent days there have been cases of thunder on snowy days in many places, raising concerns and questions from some people. There is an old folk proverb "thunder strikes snow, graves everywhere", which conveys people's taboo and fear of winter thunder and lightning. So, is there a scientific basis for whether such a phenomenon is good or bad?This article will go into this topic and give some scientific explanations and recommendations.
The phenomenon of thunder on snowy days in winter is known as "thunder and snow" in our country, and it is regarded as a bad omen in rural areas. There is a folk proverb that "thunder and snow make graves everywhere", which means that such weather often indicates that something bad is happening, and many people may die because of it. This saying is widely spread in our country, and there are similar proverbs, "thunder strikes winter, ten bullpens and nine are empty", "thunder strikes snow, people eat iron" and so on. These proverbs all try to illustrate the rarity and bad omen of winter thunder and lightning. However, is there a scientific basis for these claims?We need to know more about the causes and scientific explanations of thunder and snow.
To understand the causes of thunder and snow, we first need to understand the principles of snow and thunder. Snowfall is the process by which water droplets in clouds condense into snowflakes at icy temperatures and fall from the clouds to the ground. Thunder is caused by the potential difference in the clouds, and when the charges in the clouds are not evenly distributed, lightning and thunder are produced. In general, snow and thunder are two different weather phenomena that are unlikely to occur at the same time. However, in some special cases, snow and thunder can occur at the same time.
In some alpine regions, water droplets in the clouds may partially freeze to form ice crystals due to higher altitudes and lower temperatures. In this case, if the potential difference in the clouds is large enough, there is a risk of lightning and thunder. In addition, special weather conditions such as strong wind shear and cold spells can also cause snow and thunder to occur at the same time. In these cases, thunder and snow are no longer so rare.
Going back to the proverb "thunder strikes snow, graves everywhere", in fact it has no scientific basis. Science cannot prove that there is a direct causal relationship between "thunder and snow" and "graves everywhere", nor can it prove that winter thunder and lightning cause bad things to happen. The reason why the ancients were taboo about thunder and lightning was mainly because of the lack of understanding of the mechanism of thunder and lightning, they believed that spring and summer were the normal seasons for thunder, so winter thunder was regarded as an anomaly and interpreted as a bad omen.
There is no scientific evidence that one phenomenon directly leads to the occurrence of another, so the term "bad omen" itself is a superstitious concept. However, we cannot completely deny the wisdom and perception of the ancients. In the observation of the ancients, thunder and snow often mean that there will be heavy snow or heavy cooling weather in the future, which is a certain pattern. Therefore, in the event of thunder and snow, we should pay attention to weather changes and meteorological warning information, and take preventive measures to ensure the safety of ourselves and our families.
In the face of such a special weather phenomenon as thunder and snow, we should maintain rational thinking and scientific attitude. Don't believe or spread claims that don't have a scientific basis, and don't panic or worry excessively. At the same time, we should pay attention to weather changes and meteorological warning information, and take preventive measures in advance. For agricultural production, it is especially necessary to pay attention to weather changes and take corresponding measures according to the actual situation to ensure the safety of crops.
In short, there is no scientific basis for whether thunder and snow are bad omen, it is just a folklore or superstitious idea. We should look at this phenomenon with a scientific lens and follow the principles and recommendations of science. It is only through scientific research and observation that we can better understand natural phenomena and make correct judgments and decisions. Only by maintaining a rational attitude and scientific thinking can we better cope with various weather changes and protect our own safety. Finally, I hope that everyone can have a safe and warm winter, and enjoy the beauty and happiness that snow brings.