November 18th, according to the folk calendar, is Jonah's Day, dedicated to the memory of Saint Jonah, Archbishop of Novgorod.
This day was considered important for peasants, as it was a time for observing nature, which allowed them to predict weather conditions for the winter.
On Jonah's Day, special attention was paid to the behavior of animals and weather phenomena in order to prepare for the cold weather properly.
Weather Signs
Signs connected with the weather were the main ones on Jonah's Day. As the weather is, so will the winter be until mid-December, people used to say.
If it snowed on Jonah's Day, the peasants expected a mild and snowy winter.
Frosty but snowless weather predicted a cold and dry winter.
A clear night sky with stars predicted a good harvest next year.
If the sun shone on this day, people expected that the winter holidays would be accompanied by good weather.
Signs about the wind were also important: a southern wind predicted a warm winter, and a northern wind predicted a frosty one.
Signs about animals and nature
On Jonah's Day, special attention was paid to the behavior of domestic animals. If a cat lay near the stove on this day, it was believed that the winter would be especially cold.
Birds hiding close to the house predicted snowfall and frost.
If the rivers and lakes were not covered with ice, the winter would be late. And if the ice was fragile and crumbling, it predicted frequent thaws.
What else do you need to know?
On Jonah's Day, you need to put things in order not only around you, but also in your thoughts, remember old traditions and spend time with loved ones.
