Folklore About An Early Morning Frost and Sunshine

What happens on frosty mornings?

Early morning frostis an enigma. You find it on Winter mornings, glistening on the ground and on trees is a beautiful sight to behold. Sometimes it appears in spring and may harm crops that have been planted.

This natural occurrence is a result of decomposition, the process in which ice crystals change due to temperature fluctuations and environmental conditions, when frozen water crystals form water vapor in the air.

The absolute physical requirement for frost formation is that the surface temperature must be at or below 32°F (0°C) for the phase change to occur. Frost, or hoar frost, forms when water vapor transitions directly from a gas to a solid state, bypassing the liquid phase entirely through deposition. This process requires the surface to cool to the freezing point to initiate the crystallization of ice.

There are many myths about sunshine and frost. Older generations believed that a frosty morning followed by a clear sky indicated there would be new graves in the ground. This was because they believed frost would lead to fewer crops being harvested, which might cause a food shortage and people could starve to death.

Confusing myths about the frost

Another belief is "If it is sunny on the day of Frost Descent, the winter will not be cold; if it rains, dogs will freeze to death".

This suggests that if it is sunny on the day the frost descends, it indicates that the winter will be mild, as there are more sunny days and less rain and snow. It's logical that dogs could freeze to death in cold temperatures but I was unable to find information about why a dog would freeze on a warm day after the frost.

This is confusing because most people consider a mild winter as a good thing. However, if there are no freezing temperatures, pests will not die and will wreak havoc when Spring and Summer come. My grandmother used to say that if there is no frost or snow, germs will multiply, and more people will be sick.

Does early morning frost guarantee a warm day?

Grandma also told us that an early morning frost guaranteed a warmer day with sunshine. This morning, the sun was shining bright, and frost was on the ground, the trees, and on vehicles.

Later in the day, the temperature was 47 degrees. For the past week, the average was around 22. I have seen this become a reality many times. My daughter will also quote her great-grandmother when a morning is frosty.

It seems like each time we notice an early morning frost with a bright sunny sky the day is warmer. However, I am not certain of the accuracy of the percentage of how often this happens.

Science agrees and reveals that a clear, calm night is conducive to a frosty morning and many times leads to a warm, sunny day. Now I am hearing Johnny Nash singing I Can See Clearly Now- It's gonna be a bright, bright, sunshiny day".

Why does frost predict a sunny day?

If you may be wondering what makes the frost a precursor to a warm sunny day, there is an answer. When the sun is unobstructed by clouds, the surface and air can warm up quickly, leading to a much higher temperature than the early morning frost suggested.

Readers, what are your experiences with early morning frost, and what folklore are you aware of? Did your ancestors tell you stories that you saw become reality? I enjoy hearing about the varied experiences of others. Please share in the comment section.