| MadSci Network: Earth Sciences |
No, there are no strong relationships between the phase of the Moon and weather, known to rigorous science. However, there are many such apparent relationships noted in traditions. I have researched one such claim myself, namely a verbal tradition between the phase of the Moon and weather, on the Canary islands in the Atlantic. According to the tradition a certain type of weather is predicted if the Moon is seen on its side with the 'horns' (i.e. the cusps) pointing up in a certain way. We did not find a strong statistically significant relationship. Interestingly, the lunar period (i.e. the 'month') is very near the rotation period of the Sun - so a mixup is possible between effects due to lunar phase and the claimed link between sunspots and weather! The idea behind a Moon-weather link may be related to the influence the Moon has on oceanic tides and the possibility that the ocean tide influences weather, or causes a tide in the atmosphere itself, with weather effects as a consequence. During the 1970's another possibility was investigated, namely that the Earth suffered certain effects when the Earth passes through the 'tail' of the Moon - or rather the shadow formed when the Moon sweeps out a cavity in the Solar wind. Any such effects would then be linked to certain pahses of the Moon. No significant relationship was uncovered.
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