STORM2K

St Medard's Day...Rain for 40 Days?

By Rob Perillo

Posted: Jun 7, 2010 7:02 PM
Updated: Jun 7, 2010 9:27 PM

Tuesday June 8th is an interesting day per Cajun/French weather folklore as it is officially St Medard's Day. Most older folks in Acadiana will refer to this day as phonetically-"samida" but this is derived from St Medard, a 6th Century French Saint. Per the Cultural Catholic.com St Medard is the patron saint against bad weather. For nearly 1400 years the cultural lore continues in Acadiana, more than likely following the French exciled Acadians in the 18th and 19th centuries.

The Cultural Catholic describes St Medard Day by the following: "Born into French nobility, Saint Médardwas a pius and excellent student. Ordained at 33, Saint Médard became a missionary bishop, and using his personal wealth, Saint Médard established a scholarship fund in the sixth century, Rosiere, which is still celebrated today.

While still a youth, Saint Médard gave one of his father's finest horses to a peasant who had lost his. Immediately afterward, rain started to downpour, and while everyone else was drenched, an eagle spread its wings over Saint Médard, and Saint Médard remained dry.

St Medard's feast day is June 8, and the French say, "S'il pleut le jour de Saint-Médard, Il pleut quarante jours plus tard."

"Should Saint Médard's day be wet, it will rain for forty yet." But, if it is sunny and dry on Saint Médard's day, so will the next 40 days be dry."

There is no identifiable scientific basis to lend any credence to the lore however there are scattered thunderstorms in the forecast for our Tuesday. In addition, in 2001 it rained heavily across portions of Acadiana on St Medard's Day and you may recall that Acadiana was trapped under the influence of Tropical Storm Allison at that time...it did not rain for 40 days afterwards but portions of Acadiana did receive anywhere from 10-30" during an 11 day span as Allison, or her remnants, drifted across the area!