Today is St. Swithin's Day (15 July), a day, on which, people watch the weather.
Tradition says that if it rains on St. Swithin's Day, it will continue so for the next forty days (and the opposite is believed to be true too, i.e., if it's a dry day the weather will remain dry for 40 days).
We have had rain practically every day this summer, we're hoping today will be dry and the good weather comes instead.
There is a weather-rhyme and it is well known throughout the British Isles and has been quoted since Elizabethan times. (At the bottom of the page I have explained what some of the unusual (old) English words mean).
'St. Swithin's day if thou dost rain
For forty days it will remain
St. Swithin's day if thou be fair
For forty days 'twill rain nae mair.'
Translations from Old English to today's English
Thou = You
dost = do
'twill - it will
nae = no
mair = more
If weather is described as "Fair", it means dry (no rain).
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