GREENSBORO, N.C. — It's an eerie-looking phenomenon -- a halo-looking shape around the moon, often visible at all times of day. Does it forebode snow in the future?
VERIFY QUESTION
Joanne Vaden wrote, "I see a ring around the moon. My grandma always said that is a sign of bad weather. Ask Eric if this is true."
VERIFY SOURCE
Eric Chilton - Good Morning Show Meteorologist
VERIFY PROCESS
Vaden submitted this inquiry late last week. Ironically, since then, the Triad did receive a trace of snow -- rare for April.
Chilton said there is some truth to what Vaden always had heard.
"The ring around the moon doesn't guarantee that snow is coming, but it sometimes is an indicator of bad weather coming," he said.
Chilton further explained the "ring" appears when the moonlight refracts through ice crystals in the high thin cirrus clouds.
"Sometimes, cirrus clouds precede a low pressure system by one to two days. If the air is cold enough, it could be a winter precipitation-type system."
VERIFY CONCLUSION
Essentially, it is sometimes true a ring around the moon means snow soon, as long as the other atmospheric elements to make that happen are in the right place at the right time.
Do you have a VERIFY inquiry? Submit a selfie video of the question to Meghann Mollerus via:
Facebook: Meghann Mollerus News
E-mail: Mmollerus@wfmy.com
Twitter: @MeghannMollerus