The smell in the air right before it rains sometimes makes you think, ‘Wow! Maybe I’m a psychic.’
Well, this smell is not just in your head! There’s a cool reason behind why you can smell rain before it even starts.
The main reason is a combination of things happening in the air and ground during dry spells. Plants release oils that soak into the soil. When rain finally comes, it splashes onto the ground, and those oils get released into the air. This creates a distinct, earthy smell that we recognize.
Another key player is a compound called Geosmin. It’s made by bacteria in the soil, and it’s incredibly strong. Even a tiny amount can be detected by our noses. When rain hits the ground, Geosmin is also released, adding to that pre-rain scent.
“Before the rain begins, one of the first odors you may notice as winds pick up and clouds roll in is a sweet, pungent zing in your nostrils,” Daisy Yuhon, an author of an article about rain, said. “That’s the sharp, fresh aroma of ozone.”
Storms often bring ozone from higher up in the atmosphere down to ground level.
Ozone has a sharp, clean smell, sand ometimes you’re actually smelling the ozone carried by the storm clouds before the rain even begins
So, the next time you notice that special smell in the air, you’re experiencing a mix of plant oils, bacteria and even ozone all working together to announce that rain is on its way. It’s like nature’s way of giving you a heads-up.