There is no freeze for Ice Saints this year

Ice Saints are celebrated on May 11, 12 and 13 each year. Similar to the risk of frost, this year they will be marked by a heat wave in France. Discover the scientific interpretation and origin of the event.

Until early June, in rural areas, the risk of frost is sometimes possible on completely clear nights. In recent years, the months of May have sometimes been marked by late frosts, but this year it will not be so, where the weather system will be favorable.Heat visit For Ice Saints week. Generally, the temperature for this period from 2015 to May 12 is lower than the seasonal average. This year, values ​​will be 5 ° to 10 C above average.

Origin of the Ice Saints

From the old popular European belief of the Second Millennium, Ice Saints are celebrated every year on May 11, 12 and 13. The northern regions (especially Alsace, generally late frosts) have added May 19, 20 and 25. Farmers in the northern Mediterranean asked for Saint Mamert, Saint Pancrace and Saint Servais to protect their gardens from the temperatures and frosts that usually occur during this time. Harvests occur more or less brutally in the mountains until the end of May, when the devastating frosts occur. Beyond this period, from May 26, it is generally assumed that gardeners can begin sowing and planting without fear of a deadly cold snap. From this came the regional proverb and “Saints Pancrace, Servais and Boniface often bring snow”, “When it rains on Saint Servais comes a whole series like wheat, a bad omen.” Or “St. Service, St. Pancras and St. Maarten make three small winters”.

Physical description

The legend dates back to the beginning of the second millennium, when the “spring cold wave” actually appeared in May in some parts of the world. People in the northern Mediterranean experience a drop in night and morning temperatures every two years during this time. Astronomers have suggested that in mid-March, the Earth’s orbit will pass through space, filled with dust (made from the remains of planets) that will be a barrier to the sun’s rays. The impact of the sun on the earth will then subside, which will lead to a significant drop in temperature. Nowadays, in the course of March, it seems to have been brought in for at least a month. However, it is not impossible for cold to occur in May. In fact, cold currents from high latitudes sometimes occupy France. They cause a significant drop in temperature. Under clear, windless skies, late frosts may form later. The myth of the Ice Saints contains the grain of truth, and observations based on recent years prove that the dangerous period for the gardens in May is short and short.