What is Sunshower? Know The Science, Myths and Legends Associated With Metrological Phenomenon In Which Rain Falls While The Sun is Shining!

Many of us would have seen it raining while the sun is up and shining brightly. While it may look like nature forgot its law, it is very well a part of nature. The phenomenon is called Sunshower when a single rain shower cloud gets ahead of the rest and the Sun's angle keeps the sunlight from getting obstructed by clouds. Also if the sun is at a low angle, this metrological phenomenon often leads to the appearance of the sunshower. While the sun and rain do not go hand in hand, during this rare instance, they both do what they are best at, amusing people, especially children. However, what is surprising about this is the myths and legends attached to sunshower. Almost every culture belonging to different countries have some of the other story attached to sunshower with some even being a part of their folklore. Solar Minimum Effect on Earth: Will Summer Be Less Hot Because of the Sun ‘Lockdown’? Here’s What You Should Know About the Phenomenon.

Myths And Legends Attached to Sunshower

In many German-speaking countries, people say that the sunshower occurs when the devil and his wife fight or when the devil is beating his wife, while Asian countries say that it occurs when the fox is getting married. While some believe that a witch is getting married somewhere. In the Southern United States and Hungary, a sun shower is believed to occur when "the devil is beating his wife with a walking stick", while the French says "the devil is beating his wife and marrying his daughter." The devil's actions are represented as the sun's rays which is the devil spitting the fire of hell and his wife's tears as the rain. The first recorded use of this phrase was in 1703 in a French play, "to go and thrash him around the church-yard, as the devil does his wife in rainy weather when the sun shines." Years later, an Anglo-Irish writer Jonathan Swift used it in 1738.

Animal Weddings

Animals are believed to get married during a sunshower.  From rats (Arabic), tigers (Korea), monkeys (Zulu), jackals (South Africa), hyenas (Kenya), or bears (Bulgaria), there is an endless number of animals which are believed to cause the sunshower.

Fox's Marriage

However, the most popular of all tales is that the sunshower is an indication of the fox's marriage which is widely cited as the reason in most Asian countries. Some also say that the fox has arranged a feast for its marriage.

Good Luck

As per some superstitious beliefs, rain during a shining sun, brings along good luck and can heal sore eyes. It is also said that money washed in this water will never be stolen. Babies who are washed in it begin talking sooner than those of their age.

In recent times, the popular culture also took some of these legends into their artistic works making the terms even more popular. For example, teh lyrics of rapper Eminem's 2009 song titled 'Music Box' says, "There's thunder, I wonder how come it rains but the sun is out/The devils upset with his wife, they must be sluggin' it out." Meanwhile, sunshowers are rare occurrences and look gorgeous from distant. Try to admire on next time there is a sunshower in your region.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 08, 2020 06:27 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).