Almost without realizing it, we find ourselves in the month of May, the fifth of the year and one of the most beautiful in the Northern Hemisphere. The fields are full of herbs and many plants take advantage of increasingly pleasant temperatures to produce their best flowers.
The may sayings They tell us about clear skies, colors and life, but also about the storms that can flood crops before the summer drought sets in.
How is the month of May in Spain?
Before moving on to the sayings, let's know what the weather is usually like in this month in the country.
Temperature
With an average of 16,4ºC (reference period: 1981-2010), May is a good month to start enjoying outdoor activities. Some even venture to take the first dip, especially if they are in the Mediterranean region. And it is that, in some places, like Murcia or Córdoba, the mercury in the thermometer can rise to more than 30ºC.
But we also have to talk about cold, especially in the north of the peninsula. Temperatures that can drop below 0ºC, even reaching around -4ºC in the mountains of the north of the country.
Precipitation
Average rainfall is 61 mm (reference period: 1981-2010), so that May has a generally wet character, especially in the extreme northwest, from where storms tend to enter with much more frequency, and in the Canary archipelago.
On the other hand, the Mediterranean region is the one that rains the least frequently. You can learn more about this in the proverbs about the weather.
May Sayings
Now that we know more or less what the month of May can bring us, let's see if the sayings can give us more information:
- Until the fortieth of May, do not take off your coat: We may enjoy very pleasant days, but until the middle of the month it is recommended not to store warm clothes, just in case. This relates to the weather surprises that can occur, as also mentioned in the April sayings.
- March fog, May frost: if March was a cold month, with frost and / or hail, it is usual for fog to form in May.
- San Isidro labrador, distributes the water and the sun: The Saint's day is the 15th. He is greatly revered throughout Spain, being the patron saint of farmers and agricultural engineers. A month with rainy days and others of sun and good weather contributes to the growth of grass and the ripening of grains. This saying is a good example of how tradition blends with meteorology, similar to what is known in the March sayings.
- Airy March and rainy April, bring out flowery and beautiful May: When conditions are the most suitable, it is easy for plants to become beautiful once May arrives.
- May and September two brothers: one in winter, another in summer: reason is not lacking. Both months bring very good days, but also very bad days during which we have to protect ourselves from inclement weather.
- May has three bad months in it: There are those who think that this is not a good month, since in the same way that one day you are very hot, another you have to put on a jacket to avoid having a bad time.
- May is the best month of the year: many of us think that it is the best month to do anything: go out to practice sports, enjoy the garden, go out to eat with friends or family on a terrace, ...
- May water, the desired goodIn many areas, May is the last month for storms with precipitation until September-October. If nothing falls during these 30 days, the summer drought will cause more than one problem. Therefore, May rains can brighten the day. This situation is also related to the June sayings.
- May regulated, neither cold nor scorched, neither too dry nor too wet: It is undoubtedly the best month of spring, since the farmer will be able to enjoy excellent harvests if the weather remains more or less stable.
- The water for Santa Rita, and more than giving awayThe Saint's day is May 23rd, when spring is well underway. If the rains are delayed, the garden plants can't grow as quickly as the farmer would like.
- When May to mediate, the cold must already end: As the days go by and the temperature rises, the frost can be considered over by the middle of the month.
- In May the nag becomes a horse: the fields are filled with herbs, the food of the horses, which become much healthier and more beautiful.
- In San Fernando, in Andalusia they are mowing, but in Cantabria it continues to rain and thunder.: The Saint's day is May 30th, a time when summer begins to arrive in the Mediterranean region, while cloudy fronts accompanied by rain continue to arrive in the north of the peninsula. This variability is also reflected in the august sayings.
- May gardener, a lot of straw and little grain: if spring is late, it usually rains for most of that month, which will allow the cereal to grow a lot but the ears cannot ripen well due to lack of sunlight. On the other hand, the rain is very beneficial for the garden, since it favors the growth of the plants, making the farmer also save water.
Do you know any other sayings of May?