This Sunday April 10 is Palm Sunday. According to an old popular saying, “the wind of the branches is the prevailing wind of the year, and more particularly of summer”. If we are to believe this weather forecast, what are the weather conditions for the coming months? Analysis from The Weather Channel.
Palm Sunday 2022 will take place on Sunday April 10, the Sunday before Easter Sunday, while in 2021 it was March 28. The date is therefore highly variable.
This Sunday the wind will turn east to southeast over France. Dry weather everywhere, but in the morning it is very cool with some frost in the east. In the afternoon temperatures are variable, with only 11 to 13°C north of the Seine, while south of the Garonne it is mild with 20 to 23°C.
What do the seasonal forecasts say?
The global meteorological configuration for Sunday would be for high pressure to persist over Germany, while low pressure would be positioned over the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Portugal. This situation is conducive to the development of a southeasterly wind, which could indicate a stormy trend over the regions of the southwest half and drier conditions in the north. This finding is also quite in line with our seasonal forecasts, the first trends of which point to a hot and potentially stormy summer due to prolonged anticyclone forecasts over continental Europe and depressions towards the Iberian Peninsula.
Although Palm Sunday is a changeable date, like Easter, it is curious to note that this saying is true for nearly 70% worldwide.
The Weather Proverbs Associated with Palm Sunday
“The wind that blows over the Palms won’t change anytime soon” is one of the most popular weather proverbs. So, according to belief, the wind blowing on the Sunday before Easter will be the prevailing wind of the year.
Several variations of this famous saying exist, all associated with the same meaning:
– “The wind, before Palm Sunday, blesses. The whole year blows and follows”.
– “Wind that beats the palms beats nine months of the year”
– “The wind that blew during the Palm Sunday service becomes the wind of the year: it is the rooster of the tower that decides”
– “The wind that pulls for Palm Sunday, pulls all year round”.
The Origin of Palm Sunday
According to liturgical scriptures, Palm Sunday celebrates the triumphant arrival of Jesus Christ as Messiah in the Holy Land. Many people, having heard of the sermons and miracles performed by the latter, gather at the entrance of Jerusalem to welcome him. When Jesus arrives on the back of a donkey, a sign of humility, the crowd waves palm branches as he passes as they cover his path with cloaks.
Palm Sunday also marks the entry of Christians into Holy Week and the Passion of Christ, the last week of Jesus’ life. It ends with Easter Sunday, the day on which the resurrection of Jesus Christ is celebrated.
What does the word “Twigs” mean?
In Jewish tradition, the palm branch (as well as the term “Hosanna”) refers to the Jewish harvest festival. In Christianity it is also a cry of joy and welcome: with this word Jesus was welcomed in Jerusalem. Finally, the branch symbolizes prosperity and victory.
Palm Sunday Mass
The celebration of Palm Sunday begins outside the church. Christians are invited to bring twigs or a palm branch, which will be blessed by the priest. After this procession is completed, the celebration in the church resumes. At the end of the ceremony, the Christians hang the branches on the crucifixes of their homes. They keep them until Ash Wednesday the following year, when they can bring them to be burned. This date marks the entry of Christianity into Lent.
