The first snowflakes on branches and the ground are traditionally seen as a sign of approaching winter. Long before weather stations and satellite observations, our ancestors closely monitored the behavior of birds, trees, and animals to try and anticipate weather changes. This is how folk culture developed omens connected with the first snow, which are still passed down from generation to generation. The entertainment project Styler by RBC-Ukraine has gathered seven such folk observations and consulted specialists at the Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center on when snow is actually expected in the country.
Birds as harbingers of cold weather
Among the best-known folk indicators is the departure of rooks. When birds gathered into large flocks and left their usual habitats, people anticipated a change in weather and the first winter precipitation. An equally reliable sign of cooling was the appearance of bullfinches in gardens and near residential homes: in the Zhytomyr region, this connection was recorded in the omen, "When bullfinches begin to fly in the garden, there will be snow." Thus, the behavior of feathered creatures served as one of the first signals that winter was on the way.
Natural signs: from acorns to the whitening hare
An abundant acorn harvest in the folk calendar was associated with a coming severe winter—not a direct snowfall forecast, but rather a harbinger of the cold season. There was also a belief about cherry trees: until all the leaves fell from the tree, the first snow, according to ancestors, could not cover the ground for long, and even an unexpected snowfall would supposedly be melted by a thaw. Special attention was also paid to the timing of the snowfall: snow that fell at night was considered more enduring, while daytime precipitation melted quickly and failed to form a lasting cover. Finally, the hare's snow-white coat by late autumn was called a living indicator by the people: if the hare had already changed its color, snow was expected in the near future.
Calendar markers: Intercession, Michael's Day, and the 'sledge path'
Specific autumn dates held special significance in folk observations. As Iryna Nesen notes in her work Calendar Rituals of Ukrainians, the Feast of the Intercession was considered a boundary between autumn and winter, and the wind direction on this day indicated the character of the coming winter: an east or north wind promised early snow, a south wind promised a warm winter. The saying "Michael arrived on a white horse" was linked to Michael's Day if snow fell close to the holiday; according to the new church calendar, the Synaxis of the Archangel Michael falls on November 8, while communities adhering to the old style celebrate it on November 21. A separate omen stated that about six weeks pass from the first snow to the appearance of a stable sledge path.
What the forecasters say
Folk observations are interesting, but specialists provide the precise weather picture. According to Natalia Ptakha, a forecaster at the Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center, November is already bringing winter weather manifestations to Ukraine, but this does not mean a snow cover will immediately appear everywhere. In the coming days, she noted, rains and dry periods will alternate: no significant precipitation is expected on November 15–16, while an atmospheric front will bring rain to various regions starting November 17. The official forecast of the Hydrometeorological Center for November 15–17 notes that on November 17, sleet is possible in the Carpathians, as well as during the day in the east and northeast of the country, while rains will prevail in the rest of the territory.
Thus, in the coming days, winter precipitation is likely primarily in mountainous areas and certain eastern and northeastern oblasts, but this does not yet indicate the formation of a lasting snow cover. Folk omens remain a living cultural heritage, but for planning daily affairs, it is more reliable to rely on meteorological data.
