Well, this is an article I will send to all my friends. For years, they thought I was crazy, but now I know I am not alone! I have always said I can tell when it is about to rain, and no, it is not because of the ominous clouds gathering in the sky. Instead, a particular smell always came right before the rain. It was as if the soil was already damp, like it was preparing to receive the rain droplets. I don't know how to describe it, but I always swore I could smell when it was about to rain. Now, science has got my back! As it turns out, you can smell when it's about to rain.
Scientific Evidence Proves You Can Smell When It's About To Rain
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Not everyone seems to possess this gift of knowing beforehand when water is about to fall from the sky. However, that doesn't make it any less accurate for those perceptive enough to notice. LadBible shares that Australian scientists Isabel Joy Bear and Richard G even came up with a name for this specific smell. They refer to it as "petrichor." Additionally, they share, "Petrichor is derived from the Greek language, as petros means stone (as in petrify), and ichor is the substance which supposedly flowed through the veins of the Greek Gods." It describes the earthy smell that arises right before a storm begins.
While many people enjoy the smell of rain after a storm, few can detect it beforehand. The smell after a storm is caused by a soil bacteria. Bacteria release a chemical called 'geosmin.' That smell "becomes most prevalent after a spell of rain, as when the raindrops hit the ground and flatten out, they can trap pockets of air in there." However, that pre-rain smell is caused by something else. Those who can smell when it's about to rain are essentially smelling the chemical 'ozone."
LadBible shares that this chemical has a sweeter smell and usually indicates that a storm is coming. They write, "That is because pockets of ozone gas are pushed down to ground level by winds in the approaching storm." Basically, the wind delivers the smell right to our nostrils. Fascinating, right? At least now I know I am not crazy, and I really can smell when it's about to rain.
