When the temperatures drop in June, this is a sure sign of the so-called cold of sheep. The weather phenomenon does not occur every year, but in retrospect repeats itself at regular intervals.
When it comes to cold sheep
Before the summer comes the cold of the sheep: the calendar start of summer is usually preceded by a noticeable cooling off. In June there can be a cold snap – called cold sheep.
According to the farmers’ rule, it gets cold between June 4th and 20th. The temperature then drops by five to ten degrees Celsius. Sheep chill is most likely around June 11th – but can also occur later in June.
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Why the weather phenomenon is called sheep cold
Lamb: A cold snap can harm the animals. (Source: Filip_Krstic / Getty Images)
The name sheep cold actually refers to sheep. Traditionally, the animals were sheared until this day. However, the sudden drop in temperature could sometimes be dangerous for freshly shorn lambs. In order to prevent the health effects, lambs and dams are therefore only shorn later – mostly towards the end of June.
Why the cold snap occurs
The cause of the cold snap is the inflow of cool and moist air from the northwest. The temperatures then drop by an average of five to ten degrees Celsius.
The cold air flow is caused by the different rapid heating of land mass and sea water. The country is already warm in June, while the sea is still relatively cold. A low-pressure area is therefore emerging over Europe, which brings the cold air from the northwest. This is how the cold of sheep arises.
How likely the cold of sheep is
The cold of sheep is a meteorological singularity. This term refers to conspicuous weather conditions in Europe and especially Central Europe, which deviate significantly from normal weather and are very likely to occur in a certain period of the year. The chill of sheep occurs with a probability of 89 percent. Other well-known singularities are for example the ice saints, the dog days or the Indian summer.
Where sheep cold occurs most often
Germany and Austria are most affected by the cold of sheep. In general, the cold snap is becoming more noticeable in higher regions such as Salzburg, Tyrol or Carinthia. Fresh snow can even come here.
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