Cold Sophie and the Ice Saints
When I grew up in Germany, my grandmother always sent me out to bring in the flower pots because “Cold Sophie” was coming! This always happened around the middle of May. Sure enough, there was a stretch of days that were actually below normal for the middle of May.
St. Mamertus, St. Pancras, St. Servatius, and St. Bonifatius, are referred to as the ‘Ice Saints’ in Austria, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Poland, and Switzerland. The days to commemorate them fall on May 11, May 12, May 13, May 14, and St. Sophie on May 15. The American Farmer's’ Almanac predicts for these days, a brief spell of colder weather and the last frosty night before the warmer weather moves in for good. Between the European and American oral traditions, one might ask if this is only folklore, or is there some truth to it?
St. Mamertus, St. Pancras, St. Servatius, and St. Bonifatius, are referred to as the ‘Ice Saints’ in Austria, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Poland, and Switzerland. The days to commemorate them fall on May 11, May 12, May 13, May 14, and St. Sophie on May 15. The American Farmer's’ Almanac predicts for these days, a brief spell of colder weather and the last frosty night before the warmer weather moves in for good. Between the European and American oral traditions, one might ask if this is only folklore, or is there some truth to it?
This year, the Ice Saints definitely have arrived! I heard that tomorrow even snowflakes could be flying around. The rule of thumb, where we are, is that you should not start your garden before May 15. I remember very well that in years past, the local nursery did not want to sell me tomato plants in the beginning of May, although it was warm and felt just right. For centuries gardeners have followed that rule of May 15, obviously for good reasons.
Why do we have these cold spells? Actually it can be explained easily. In May, the sun warms up the land masses faster than the oceans- which ‘bank’ heat longer. This results in a significant difference in temperatures. I have noticed this phenomenon in the Spring and in the Fall with our pond. Fog develops just over the water. In the Fall the water is warmer than the air, and in the Spring it is vice versa.
Fog on our pond in thespring
Vatican Stamp commemorating the introduction of the Gregorian Calendar In our previous blog post, we spoke about how these temperature differentials created thermal elevators that allowed us to soar into the sky on gliders and ultralights. Similarly, Cold Sophie swoops down from the frigid north, but on a continental level! Lows (pressures) develop where the different temperatures clash and the warmer air is rushing north making way for a shot of polar air. (Watch any modern local news weather radar forecast to see these Highs and Lows swirling about each other). This pattern coincides with the Ice Saints but they do not necessarily influence our local weather.
Observations of weather patterns over many years have shown, however, that a drop in temperatures occurs frequently only around May 20. Are the Ice Saints not in tune anymore? There is also a very simple explanation and it deals with a calendar reform in 1582. Pope Gregory VIII introduced the Gregorian calendar and corrected the Julian calendar in the length of the year. By doing so he had to skip 10 days, which means that Cold Sophie is really on May 20.
Nowadays, the daily news informs us of the weather and those old folklore stories might fade away soon. I hope not. They are based on history and tradition, from which wisdom- by definition, is derived.
Observations of weather patterns over many years have shown, however, that a drop in temperatures occurs frequently only around May 20. Are the Ice Saints not in tune anymore? There is also a very simple explanation and it deals with a calendar reform in 1582. Pope Gregory VIII introduced the Gregorian calendar and corrected the Julian calendar in the length of the year. By doing so he had to skip 10 days, which means that Cold Sophie is really on May 20.
Nowadays, the daily news informs us of the weather and those old folklore stories might fade away soon. I hope not. They are based on history and tradition, from which wisdom- by definition, is derived.
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