it's raining cats, dogs and frogs!

andyandy · 20th May 2006, 05:42 AM

This has always fascinated me....but the explanations (like that below) don't address all my questions....so maybe you guys'd like to help out

what stands out is that the falling objects are invariably of the same variety - ie. of frogs etc. but surely a meterological event (whirlwind/tornado...) would be pretty indiscriminate in what was collected...so you'd expect the objects to be of a less homogenous nature....or are certain objects (like frogs it seems....)more susceptible to being carried off??

and what's the biggest or strangest rain of an object.....? the BBC lists tomates and coal...can anyone top that?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/3582802.stm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raining_animals
Raining animals is a relatively common meteorological phenomenon, with occurrences reported from many countries throughout history. The animals most likely to drop from the sky in a rainfall are fish and frogs, with several types of birds coming second. Sometimes the animals survive the fall, notoriously fishes, suggesting a small time gap between the extraction and the actual drop. Several witnesses of raining frogs describe the animals as startled, though healthy, and exhibiting relatively normal behavior shortly after the event. In some incidents, however, the animals are frozen to death or even completely enclosed in blocks of ice.

Scientific explanation
Raining animals were first described by Pliny the Elder in the 1st century and ever since caused astonishment and perplexity.

The scientific explanation involves a combination of geographic circumstance and meteorological chance. During a storm, wind may sweep the earth's surface at great speed, creating whirlwinds or even small tornadoes that can catch debris on the surface. The rain of water-borne animals such as amphibians or fishes is explained with the passage of such whirlwinds over lakes or rivers forming waterspouts; land animals are captured directly from the surface and birds can be taken while in flight.

Paul C. Anagnostopoulos · 20th May 2006, 05:52 AM

I once witnessed a microburst lift up a table made out of Andros pine (dense) and carry it maybe 1000 yards before dumping it in a bay.

~~ Paul

Zep · 20th May 2006, 06:07 AM

I understand it is well-known to fishermen that fish tend to swarm(?) at the surface of the water in rainy weather, making them much more vulnerable to intermittent waterspouts vaccuuming them up.

I await valid input from fisherfolk on that one!

And I imagine that the same effect that seperates light and heavy objects in a rotary vaccuum-cleaner would separate animals from twigs and leaves in a whirlwind.

Meffy · 20th May 2006, 06:29 AM

I was once driving along the Colonial Parkway between Williamsburg and Jamestown, Virginia, when a fish fell out of a blue sky onto the road...

Bald eagles and ospreys are magnificent birds, but their grip isn't always perfect. =^_^=

20th May 2006, 05:42 AM	#1
andyandy anthropomorphic ape Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: up a tree Posts: 8,192	it's raining cats, dogs and frogs! This has always fascinated me....but the explanations (like that below) don't address all my questions....so maybe you guys'd like to help out what stands out is that the falling objects are invariably of the same variety - ie. of frogs etc. but surely a meterological event (whirlwind/tornado...) would be pretty indiscriminate in what was collected...so you'd expect the objects to be of a less homogenous nature....or are certain objects (like frogs it seems....)more susceptible to being carried off?? and what's the biggest or strangest rain of an object.....? the BBC lists tomates and coal...can anyone top that? http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/3582802.stm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raining_animals Raining animals is a relatively common meteorological phenomenon, with occurrences reported from many countries throughout history. The animals most likely to drop from the sky in a rainfall are fish and frogs, with several types of birds coming second. Sometimes the animals survive the fall, notoriously fishes, suggesting a small time gap between the extraction and the actual drop. Several witnesses of raining frogs describe the animals as startled, though healthy, and exhibiting relatively normal behavior shortly after the event. In some incidents, however, the animals are frozen to death or even completely enclosed in blocks of ice. Scientific explanation Raining animals were first described by Pliny the Elder in the 1st century and ever since caused astonishment and perplexity. The scientific explanation involves a combination of geographic circumstance and meteorological chance. During a storm, wind may sweep the earth's surface at great speed, creating whirlwinds or even small tornadoes that can catch debris on the surface. The rain of water-borne animals such as amphibians or fishes is explained with the passage of such whirlwinds over lakes or rivers forming waterspouts; land animals are captured directly from the surface and birds can be taken while in flight.
	__________________ "Contentment is found in the music of Bach, the books of Tolstoy and the equations of Dirac, not at the wheel of a BMW or the aisles of Harvey Nicks."

20th May 2006, 05:52 AM	#2
Paul C. Anagnostopoulos Nap, interrupted. Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: a little toolshed Posts: 18,592	I once witnessed a microburst lift up a table made out of Andros pine (dense) and carry it maybe 1000 yards before dumping it in a bay. ~~ Paul
	__________________ Millions long for immortality who do not know what to do with themselves on a rainy Sunday afternoon. ---Susan Ertz RIP Mr. Skinny

20th May 2006, 06:07 AM	#3
Zep Banned Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 26,985	I understand it is well-known to fishermen that fish tend to swarm(?) at the surface of the water in rainy weather, making them much more vulnerable to intermittent waterspouts vaccuuming them up. I await valid input from fisherfolk on that one! And I imagine that the same effect that seperates light and heavy objects in a rotary vaccuum-cleaner would separate animals from twigs and leaves in a whirlwind.
Zep Banned Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 26,985

20th May 2006, 06:29 AM	#4
Meffy Anthropomorphic Skunk Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Unincorporated Territory of Croatan Posts: 4,232	I was once driving along the Colonial Parkway between Williamsburg and Jamestown, Virginia, when a fish fell out of a blue sky onto the road... Bald eagles and ospreys are magnificent birds, but their grip isn't always perfect. =^_^=