[For Seniors] Trivia Quiz & Fun Facts About the Weather

In a weather forecast, which of the following best describes the meaning of “about average for a normal year” (heinen-nami)?

What will the weather be like when contrails linger for a long time?

Why contrails form: How can contrails tell us the weather!? #WeatherNews Weather Picture Book #Clouds

When you look up at the sky, you sometimes see thin white streaks lingering behind airplanes.

These are called contrails—long, narrow white clouds that form after an airplane passes.

Sometimes contrails remain in the upper sky for a long time, and when they do, it’s said that rain may be on the way.

The reason is that when a low-pressure system is approaching from the west, the upper air is moist, making contrails slower to evaporate.

As a low-pressure system approaches, the weather tends to deteriorate.

Conversely, if contrails disappear quickly, it likely means the weather won’t worsen anytime soon.

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Nakajima Junko

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What kind of weather does a ‘fox’s wedding’ refer to?

Do you know about a “fox’s wedding”?

Many people may have heard the phrase “kitsune no yomeiri.” There are various theories about it, but kitsune no yomeiri is a weather term that refers to the phenomenon of rain falling even though the sky is clear.

It’s said that the strangeness of rain falling under a blue, sunny sky led people to liken it to being tricked by a fox, hence the name.

It is also known as “kitsune no yometori” or “kitsune no yometori-ame.”

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moko

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What will the weather be like when tree frogs croak?

Chirping of tree frogs: April, May, June — spring rice fields

It is said that when tree frogs croak, rain is coming, and this is thought to be related to their cutaneous respiration.

In addition to using their lungs, frogs also perform “cutaneous respiration,” taking in oxygen and expelling carbon dioxide through their skin.

Because carbon dioxide passes easily through the skin, higher humidity makes cutaneous respiration more active, which is thought to make them croak more often.

For these reasons, it came to be said that tree frogs croak when rain is approaching.

However, they often croak even when it doesn’t end up raining, so if you hear tree frogs, try checking whether it really does rain!

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moko

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Which has more ribs, a Japanese umbrella (wagasa) or a Western-style umbrella?

Stylish Nakatsu locals living through the tradition and culture of the 'wagasa' (Japanese umbrella)

The answer is a wagasa (traditional Japanese umbrella).

The ribs that spread out radially when you open an umbrella are called “oya-bone” (main ribs).

While a typical Western umbrella has eight main ribs, a wagasa has at least sixteen and can have around fifty.

The number of main ribs in a wagasa varies with the umbrella’s size, but many are used to firmly support the washi paper.

By the way, Western umbrellas are generally made from synthetic materials like vinyl or polyester; although they have only eight main ribs, the fabric is kept taut by the strength of the wire frame.

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moko

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It’s said that you can tell the weather by the height at which a certain bird flies. Which bird is it?

Is it true that when swallows fly low, it means rain? [Seasonal Weather Notes]

There’s a weather saying that goes, “When swallows fly low, it will rain.” Swallows catch and eat their food while flying, but when a low-pressure system approaches and humidity rises, the wings of the insects they feed on become heavier, so the insects can’t fly high.

As a result, swallows tend to fly lower rather than higher to catch their prey.

Many people may not have known that the reason swallows fly low isn’t about the swallows themselves, but about the insects they hunt.

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moko

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