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General Weather/Earth Sciences Topics => Weather Folklore => Topic started by: rontech on October 29, 2015, 10:40:23 PM

Title: Has anyone ever heard of this?
Post by: rontech on October 29, 2015, 10:40:23 PM
When I was a kid growing up in Michigan my Dad told us kids about an Indian legend in which, if you point at a storm, it would come towards you. He would tell us NEVER EVER point at a storm. So a storm would come by and it looked like it would miss us so my sister and I would go point at it, and it would hit us. My Dad worked for Detroit Edison, and when a storm hit and the power went out, he would get called out. One time we had this huge thunderstorm come through and the winds were knocking trees over and doing lots of other damage and the power went out. He gets called out, the storm passes, and we went out and pointed at it again and sure enough, it came back, stronger this time. Poor Dad was out for 3 days restoring the power. He would get so mad if anyone pointed at a storm, and even now he gets mad if someone points at a a storm. A while back I took a picture of a storm with me pointing at it and sent it to him :D No, this one didn't come towards me. But has anyone ever heard of this? We lived in Michigan at the time, and there were Indians there before so, who knows... It doesn't seem to work as well out here in Calif., pointing at the storms...
Title: Re: Has anyone ever heard of this?
Post by: Jáchym on October 30, 2015, 06:28:11 AM
I have never heard this legend... but next time we have a storm I can try pointing at it to see if it works globally :D
Title: Re: Has anyone ever heard of this?
Post by: DaleReid on October 30, 2015, 09:54:01 AM
I think it depends a lot on the mood of the cloud that day, whether it worries about being pointed at.

I tried pointing at pretty co eds when I was in college and all I got was police coming at me....
Title: Re: Has anyone ever heard of this?
Post by: Aardvark on October 30, 2015, 01:39:32 PM
I bet they ate a lot of paint chips back then.
Title: Re: Has anyone ever heard of this?
Post by: Arty on August 01, 2017, 09:18:24 AM
When I was a kid growing up in Michigan my Dad told us kids about an Indian legend in which, if you point at a storm, it would come towards you. He would tell us NEVER EVER point at a storm. So a storm would come by and it looked like it would miss us so my sister and I would go point at it, and it would hit us. My Dad worked for Detroit Edison, and when a storm hit and the power went out, he would get called out. One time we had this huge thunderstorm come through and the winds were knocking trees over and doing lots of other damage and the power went out. He gets called out, the storm passes, and we went out and pointed at it again and sure enough, it came back, stronger this time. Poor Dad was out for 3 days restoring the power. He would get so mad if anyone pointed at a storm, and even now he gets mad if someone points at a a storm. A while back I took a picture of a storm with me pointing at it and sent it to him :D No, this one didn't come towards me. But has anyone ever heard of this? We lived in Michigan at the time, and there were Indians there before so, who knows... It doesn't seem to work as well out here in Calif., pointing at the storms...
Never  :lol:
Title: Re: Has anyone ever heard of this?
Post by: Aardvark on August 01, 2017, 11:28:44 AM
My older brother once told me if  I pointed at his rear end, I would hear distant thunder once.   And I did hear it, especially when the Lightning hit the fertilizer factory.
Title: Re: Has anyone ever heard of this?
Post by: alanb on August 01, 2017, 11:44:26 AM
Well, it is just as credible as the "NASCAR vortex theory" for storm avoidance  ;)
Title: Re: Has anyone ever heard of this?
Post by: ValentineWeather on August 01, 2017, 04:53:06 PM
Never heard that one, but we need rain so next time one gets close I'll be outside pointing.

We've tried rain dancing and washing our cars and nothing seems to work.  :lol:
Title: Re: Has anyone ever heard of this?
Post by: WeatherHost on August 01, 2017, 04:58:52 PM
I'm predicting heavy clouds and rain from Oregon to South Carolina mid-day August 21.

Title: Re: Has anyone ever heard of this?
Post by: Aardvark on August 01, 2017, 04:59:41 PM
Never heard that one, but we need rain so next time one gets close I'll be outside pointing.

We've tried rain dancing and washing our cars and nothing seems to work.  :lol:

I looked at my soil  moisture sensors. dry http://www.desmoinesweather.org/weather28/index.php?p=69&lang=en#data-area (http://www.desmoinesweather.org/weather28/index.php?p=69&lang=en#data-area)
Title: Re: Has anyone ever heard of this?
Post by: ocala on August 01, 2017, 05:48:36 PM
All during June we had a lot of rain. Over 13 inches to exact. Come July the tap shut off. Just over 3 inches. I think the problem was that as these storms kept missing me in July I was pointing at them with my middle finger. I really think they developed an attitude.
Oh well new month, we'll see what happens.
Title: Re: Has anyone ever heard of this?
Post by: ValentineWeather on August 01, 2017, 05:58:22 PM
We had over six inches in May and only inch & half total for 2 wet months June, July is concerning for us.  Drought monitor has us severe now.

I've been outside pointing.
Title: Re: Has anyone ever heard of this?
Post by: DJFaninTN on August 01, 2017, 06:18:07 PM
never heard of this but I know I pointed at my ex wife to leave the house. she kept trying to come back around sooooooooooo this could be true.
Title: Re: Has anyone ever heard of this?
Post by: SLOweather on August 02, 2017, 10:09:35 AM
Try tearing off your old roof to put on a new one.  :-)

Never heard that one, but we need rain so next time one gets close I'll be outside pointing.

We've tried rain dancing and washing our cars and nothing seems to work.  :lol:
Title: Re: Has anyone ever heard of this?
Post by: ValentineWeather on August 02, 2017, 10:18:09 AM
Try tearing off your old roof to put on a new one.  :-)

Never heard that one, but we need rain so next time one gets close I'll be outside pointing.

We've tried rain dancing and washing our cars and nothing seems to work.  :lol:

Next best thing, I've started stripping house old paint off my cedar siding and prepping for new paint.  Chance of rain 100% but I'll be outside pointing just to make sure. 
Title: Re: Has anyone ever heard of this?
Post by: DaleReid on August 02, 2017, 09:02:20 PM
The key is knowing which is a rain cloud and which is just an ordinary cloud, sort of like seeing your true love and knowing it.

Many clouds look alike, sort of like many ladies look the same at the dance, and the trick is knowing when the real one is in the room.

So pointing at an ordinary cloud fails to bring rain, but if you point at a real rain cloud, it works.  And works every time.  Believe me.  And no, I've not been married to many different women.
Title: Re: Has anyone ever heard of this?
Post by: Aardvark on August 03, 2017, 01:28:29 AM
Ah.... which finger?   I suspect the index brings it and if it goes away, then the middle???
Title: Re: Has anyone ever heard of this?
Post by: Tangster1 on August 24, 2017, 01:22:54 PM
Try tearing off your old roof to put on a new one.  :-)

Never heard that one, but we need rain so next time one gets close I'll be outside pointing.

We've tried rain dancing and washing our cars and nothing seems to work.  :lol:
LOL Never fails not rain in wks not calling for it for a week I'd set the curbing up for new root top A/C Htg package unit .  start to cut roof for ducting and boom rain LOL

Next best thing, I've started stripping house old paint off my cedar siding and prepping for new paint.  Chance of rain 100% but I'll be outside pointing just to make sure.
Title: Re: Has anyone ever heard of this?
Post by: diviningweather on November 18, 2019, 10:52:11 PM
There may be some truth to that.
I do know that if you face the wind the storms will come from your right.
It's on my course I am building.
As for pointing at a storm.  If you are pointing any higher than your head, you are creating a better lightning rod for attracting static buildup.
 [tup]
Title: Re: Has anyone ever heard of this?
Post by: MchWxEnthusiast on November 24, 2019, 01:23:18 PM
[I Know this is an old thread]With me It's was the Opposite but Usually me or my parents would point it out and It would Go Around us and miss us completely. I Mean sometimes It would hit but Usually it would be the Tail end of it or a small one, Sometimes a large one. Mainly during spring and summer Months. It would come towards us if we didn't mention it but Usually I would get mad if it didn't come unless it was snow. You see I live in SW Michigan on one of those lake shore Counties and We would get rain and thunderstorms Occasionally (and Snow during Part of the Winter Months (Lake Effect sometimes)).
Title: Re: Has anyone ever heard of this?
Post by: Old Tele man on November 24, 2019, 02:06:28 PM
There may be some truth to that.
I do know that if you face the wind the storms will come from your right.
It's on my course I am building.

Low pressure (cyclonic) spins anti-clockwise...hence, from the right.
Title: Re: Has anyone ever heard of this?
Post by: Aardvark on November 24, 2019, 02:37:43 PM
From personal experience:  If there is a tornado coming, all the science teachers will go outside to watch, except for Larry who is trying to get the nasty kid on the roof to hold a metal pole.
Title: Re: Has anyone ever heard of this?
Post by: Captain Dunsel on April 24, 2021, 09:21:54 PM
Quote
Well, it is just as credible as the "NASCAR vortex theory" for storm avoidance  ;)

Friend of mine says "NHRA" means "Next Heavy Rain Area".

I do remember a time when a squall line was approaching.   I and several other AWS folks were gathered out in a parking lot in a St. Louis suburb, looking at the cloud formations, whilst our spouses and kids were heading for the basement.  Not the smartest time in my Weather career, I must admit.

CD


Title: Re: Has anyone ever heard of this?
Post by: CW2274 on April 24, 2021, 09:38:20 PM
Quote
Love your "user name" or whatever it's called. That said, you're far from being unique in it's application.

Title: Re: Has anyone ever heard of this?
Post by: Captain Dunsel on April 26, 2021, 10:36:17 AM
I retired from the USAF as a Captain, after 20 years in Air Weather Service, so the 'Captain' part is true.  Also, there are few things more useless to active-duty folks than retirees, so I figure the 'Dunsel' part is also true :-).  Doesn't hurt that I was/am a Trekker.

CD