Can cows actually predict rain?

It’s a comment made on many a road trip along the years while passing pastures. The cows are lying down, there must be a storm on the way. Where did this idea come from? And is it accurate?

As it happens research from the Universities of Arizona and Northern Missouri discovered cows tend to lie when temperatures drop and stand when it is hot. This lends some credibility to the British folklore surrounding their meteorological abilities.

Storms are generally preceded by areas of low pressure which brings more moisture to the air and a cooling in temperature. It is possible that herds can sense this shift and choose to make their bed in the nearest available patch of land to prepare.

The truth however is that cows lie down all the time. Throughout the year whatever the weather. There may be some tenuous link with incoming storms but they are coincidental at best.

So while it turns out there is some aspect of truth behind this claim, you won’t be able to rely on your local farmer for weather forecasts any time soon.