A painting featuring pouring rain by Shen Quan, a painter from the Qing Dynasty. [Photo/artron.net]

Spring thunder cracks the sky

The spring thunder is most noticeable during the Awakening of Insects solar term. An old Chinese saying goes: "If the first spring thunder crashes before the Awakening of Insects solar term, there will be abnormal weather that year." The Awakening of Insects falls after the end of winter and before the beginning of spring. Wind during this period is an important factor in weather forecasting.

Modern meteorological science shows that around the Awakening of Insects, the earth becomes humid and the hot air near the surface rises; meanwhile, the hot humid air from the north is strong and creates frequent winds. For this reason, thunder occurs in this period. China covers a large range of latitudes from north to south, so the first spring thunder appears at different times in different areas.