“March: the month of the mad.”
For centuries, this proverb was essential. Today, it has lost its meaning—and that is not a good thing.
In Provence, March is called “Lou mes di foui” (the month of the mad). It is also said that one can be “Fou coume la luno de mars” (as mad as the March moon). Similar sayings exist in the Netherlands and in Italy (“Marzo pazzo”).
These proverbs express something very simple: in March, the weather varies greatly. Between early heat spells, heavy rainfall, strong winds, and the risk of frost, all types of weather can follow one another within a few weeks.
And this is not insignificant. The beginning of spring is a critical period for vegetation and ecosystems. Today, these sayings may seem amusing.
But in an agricultural society, they were essential.
At the beginning of the 20th century, more than 40% of French people lived directly from agriculture, compared to only 3% today. By losing this direct dependence on the weather, we have also lost part of our knowledge related to climate.
Even worse: we have lost the habit of paying attention to climatic phenomena. So today, this proverb may seem outdated.
But one question remains: are we still capable of understanding the climate without our apps?
Source: Roger-Paul Duron
Image: Johanna Lunzmann (Unsplash)