I was scrolling through social media the other night, and happened across a conversation that one of my new Michigan friends had with her partner. Essentially, she was worried about some dark clouds, and whether it was going to storm, and her partner said "I think we're fine, the leaves haven't flipped."

My eyes stopped dead in their tracks, because, WHAT? The Leaves haven't flipped? What does that have to do with rain or storms? Well, apparently a lot!

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I didn't grow up in Michigan, or the midwest. In fact, where I grew up, trees were mostly planted in straight lines to keep the top soil from blowing away again in a Dust Bowl 2.0 situation. So, the amount of greenery and trees in Michigan is still something new for me.

And I have a lot of farmer family who have told me MANY a tall tale to indicate a storm is coming - Your bones ache, you can smell the dirt, or the birds have all gone quiet.

But, I had NEVER heard of the "Leaves Turning Over" before a storm. Is this purely a Michigan thing?

Turns out, no. BUT, there is some credence to it being legit.

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Do the Leaves Turn Over When It's Going To Rain?

Turns out, it is something that happens to some plants. Not just rain, but for any major pending change in the weather. For most of these plants...

"...it indicates a transition from a drought to a rainy period."

The plants that do this will typically flip their leaves when there is a change in the prevailing wind, an increase in humidity levels, or even low moisture. Trees like Marples, Poplars, and Oaks will actually CURL their leaves in high humidity to flip them over.

And this isn't just some old wives' tale either. Chinese and European Researchers have actually given credibility to the theory, and PROVED that some plants can changed, and indicated impending climate changes.

So, is it purely a Michigan thing? No. Apparently, I've just been living under a rock my whole life. OR, there weren't enough trees around me to learn about this. But now I know,

"When the leaves show their undersides, be very sure rain betides."

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