References to the connection between weather and emotion pervade our culture, whether it’s “sunshine on a cloudy day,” “singing in the rain,” “somewhere over the rainbow,” or “rainy day blues” (1). But does weather really affect mood? Let’s think twice.

Some people experience seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a type of depression that occurs most often during darker months in fall or winter (1). According to Johns Hopkins, chemical changes in the brain may be associated with symptoms of depression when the days are shorter and there is less daylight (5).

Regarding mood and weather, most of the experimental evidence suggests there is no relationship. A study of mood using data collected from participants’ online diaries and weather station data found that daily weather was not associated with mood (6). Another study collected questionnaire data from 97 participants regarding their current mood, activity level, and how much time they spent outside on the day they came to the lab and concluded that mood was not directly related to outside temperature or barometric pressure (7). A study of daily mood ratings and diary entries of 18 students analyzed the prevalence with which diary entries mentioned different types of weather and found no association between weather and mood (8). Another study used data from 14,478 people in a depression-screening program combined with meteorological data found no association between weather and mood (9).

Among the studies that found an association, one studied 497 people using 3 weather indicators from meteorological data and 3 self-reported mood indicators and identified four groups with a modest relationships between weather and mood: summer lovers, unaffected, summer haters, and rain haters (2). Another study that analyzed 38 million posts from 3 million users of a social media site and details regarding the weather during the time of the post in the region of the poster found that sentiments consistent with low mood were associated with weather conditions of high humidity, precipitation, fog, and temperature extremes below 50°F and above 70°F, while high mood was associated with clear skies, high atmospheric pressure, and sunlight temperatures between 50°F and 70°F (3). Because this study relied on time zone and location fields in users’ profiles, it is not certain whether the meteorological data they collected was accurate for all users. A third study that found an association recruited 4,548 people representative of the general population of Japan to complete baseline measures and keep a daily health record regarding physical and mental symptoms for a month and compared those with meteorological data found that self-reported agitation and anxiety were associated with higher temperatures, while depressed mood was associated with lower temperatures (4).

If there is a relationship between mood and weather it seems limited given the small magnitude when there is an association and the inconsistent detection of an association. Our perceived association between weather and mood may relate to cultural expressions and associations, automatic mental associations, or other factors. But it seems that the weather may not cause and perhaps cannot cure low mood.

1) Swaim, E. (2022, August 12). Yes, Weather Can Affect Mood and Energy- and So Can Climate Change. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/weather-and-mood#risk-factors

2) Klimstra, T. A., Frijns, T., Keijsers, L., Denissen, J. J., Raaijmakers, Q. A., van Aken, M. A., Koot, H. M., van Lier, P. A., & Meeus, W. H. (2011). Come rain or come shine: individual differences in how weather affects mood. Emotion (Washington, D.C.), 11(6), 1495–1499. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0024649

3) Gilette, H. (2024, April 26). Weather Can Affect Your Mood- but How? PsychCentral. https://ojs.aaai.org/index.php/ICWSM/article/view/14451/14300

4) Lee, M., Ohde, S., Urayama, K. Y., Takahashi, O., & Fukui, T. (2018). Weather and Health Symptoms. International journal of environmental research and public health, 15(8), 1670. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15081670

5) Johns Hopkins. (n.d.). Seasonal Affective Disorder. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/seasonal-affective-disorder#:~:text=Seasonal%20affective%20disorder%20(SAD)%20is,antidepressants%20can%20help%20treat%20SAD.

6) Denissen, Jaap J A et al. “The effects of weather on daily mood: a multilevel approach.” Emotion (Washington, D.C.) vol. 8,5 (2008): 662-7. doi:10.1037/a0013497

7) Keller, M. C., Fredrickson, B. L., Ybarra, O., Côté, S., Johnson, K., Mikels, J., Conway, A., & Wager, T. (2005). A Warm Heart and a Clear Head: The Contingent Effects of Weather on Mood and Cognition. Psychological Science, 16(9), 724–731. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9280.2005.01602.x

8) Clark, L. A., & Watson, D. (1988). Mood and the mundane: Relations between daily life events and self-reported mood. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 54(2), 296–308. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.54.2.296

9) Huibers, Marcus J H et al. “Does the weather make us sad? Meteorological determinants of mood and depression in the general population.” Psychiatry research vol. 180,2-3 (2010): 143-6. doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2009.09.016