Is a red sky at night really a delight? Do cows lie down before it rains? Top weather myths busted by Met Office

But a new survey conducted by experts at the Met Office has found that the use of ‘traditional’ or folklore methods to predict the weather is far more prevalent than expected.

In total, a whopping 75 per cent of UK adults say they rely on folklore to help predict the weather, with the top five most commonly-used methods revealed as:

1. Red sky at night, shepherd’s delight – used by 70 per cent of UK adults

2. It can be too cold to snow – used by 49 per cent

3. Cows lie down when it is about to rain – used by 44 per cent

4. Pine cones open up when good weather is coming – used by 26 per cent

5. If it rains on St Swithin’s day, it will rain on each of the next 40 days – used by 22 per cent

In total, 58 per cent of UK adults think that these methods are accurate to some degree, while – incredibly – almost two thirds (64 per cent) think that they can be more reliable than official forecasts.

However, nearly half (48 per cent) of UK adults who have used traditional methods to predict the weather say they have been ‘caught out’.

To help separate fact from fiction, Met Office experts are shedding some light on the science behind the folklore – and explaining which myths can be counted on and which are nothing but nonsense.

Here are some of the most common myths debunked:

* Red sky at night, shepherd’s delight

A massive 83 per cent of Brits believe this to be true – and according to the Met Office, they are largely CORRECT.

This is because high pressure tends to lead to good weather. High pressure traps dust and dirt in the air, which scatters blue light, only leaving the red light remaining – hence the reddish appearance of the sky.

* It can be too cold to snow

Almost two-thirds (62 per cent) of Brits believe this fact – but it’s NOT CORRECT in the UK.

The colder the air gets, the less water vapour there is in the air, reducing the likelihood of snow.

However, there are many other deciding factors when it comes to whether it will snow or not, and it is unlikely that in the UK we would experience temperatures cold enough to make it less likely to snow.

*Cows lie down when it is about to rain

According to the Met Office, 61 per cent of Brits believe this to be an accurate way of forecasting rain – but unfortunately for them, this particular myth is FALSE.

There is no scientific backing for this at all. Cows lie down for a number of reasons – including just having a rest – and there is no evidence to suggest it is related to the likelihood of rain.

*Pine cones open up when good weather is coming

More than half (55 per cent) of UK adults believe this is true – and they are CORRECT.

In dry weather, pine cones dry out, which causes their scales to stand out more stiffly, giving an ‘open’ appearance. In damp conditions, they become more flexible and return to a more closed shape.

*Rain before seven, fine by eleven

One in three (32 per cent) of Brits believe that if it is raining at 7am, the weather will be fine by 11am – and they are OFTEN CORRECT.

Weather systems in the UK are often spawned in the Atlantic, and these systems can sweep across the UK very quickly.

So, on many occasions, four hours will allow enough time for the rain to pass. But, in some conditions, such as when there is a lack of wind, rain can hang around for much longer.

Charlie Powell, from the Met Office, said: “We were blown away by just how many people use traditional methods to forecast the weather, however, some of these weather sayings are backed up by science and can help to give a sense of what sort of weather may be on its way.

“Others, such as cows lying down when it is about to rain, are nothing more than old wives’ tales.

"But either way, none of the methods are as accurate as official forecasts from the Met Office and the research demonstrates that many people have been caught out by relying on weather folklore.”