How did our ancestors use salt to predict rain in September?

Arab Weather - Although our ancestors did not possess modern technology such as satellites and numerical models, they were able to invent unique and strange means of predicting the weather. These methods, which may seem like myths to some, have sometimes proven accurate, indicating the ingenuity of our ancestors in the absence of advanced technologies.

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Using rock salt to know the climate of the year

Abu Hussam Al-Arid, the oldest meteorologist in Palestine at 91 years old, tells us about an old method of predicting the weather using salt piles. This method differs in its details between countries, both in the number of piles and the timing of their placement.

• "Imbiosis" in August and September

Some farmers used the first six days of August, known as the “ six verses ,” to monitor the amount of dew. They believed that the density of dew on these days reflected the amount of rain in the coming season. This simple method expresses a relationship between dew and rain, and is one example of their creative ways of predicting the weather.

Use 8 handfuls of rock salt on the night of the autumnal equinox.

Researcher Dr. Ahmed Al-Shuraidah points to another method that depends on placing 8 handfuls of rock salt on the night of the autumnal equinox on a basalt stone, and each handful represents a month of the winter months. It is believed that the change in the color of the salt or its melting indicates the amount of rain expected in that month.

• A scientific look at traditional methods

Although these methods may seem unscientific, they reflect the attempts of our ancestors to understand and predict the weather in their own ways. With today's climate changes, these customs are beginning to decline, but it is worth noting that they served them for many decades, before the advent of modern methods.

Finally, we must consider these methods as part of our heritage, as they express the creativity of our ancestors in facing their challenges, even if they are not always based on a solid scientific foundation. However, we must continue to search for new methods that help develop meteorology to serve humanity.

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