Regardless of what the weather app says, predicting the weather can seem like a random guess.

It sometimes feels like you could just as accurately predict the weather by throwing a dart at a board!

So, could there be a more reliable method to foresee impending rain?

There are those who claim they can detect the scent of rain approaching, though not everyone on social media is convinced by this notion.

However, skepticism prevails among those who cannot smell the rain.

To them, the notion of detecting the scent of rain, essentially just water, seems implausible. That was the common belief, at least until recently.

Science steps in to demystify the process.

In fact, scientific evidence supports that some individuals can genuinely smell rain before it arrives.

This capability is primarily attributed to a phenomenon called petrichor.

The word "petrichor" is derived from the Greek words: "petros," meaning stone (as in petrify), and "ichor," the fluid that flowed in the veins of Greek gods.

With this origin, the term may suddenly seem more intriguing.

The unique smell known as petrichor is actually produced by certain soil bacteria releasing a compound called "geosmin."

Humans have an exceptionally acute sense of smell for geosmin, even more sensitive than a shark's ability to detect blood in water.

This distinctive aroma becomes particularly evident when rain falls and strikes the ground, splashing into puddles.

Puddles may capture pockets of air.

As these small bubbles of air rise to the surface, they release geosmin and other microorganisms from the puddle into the atmosphere.

However, there's more contributing to the scent than just petrichor.

The chemical 'ozone' also influences the pre-rain smell.

Ozone has a slightly sweeter scent compared to petrichor and often indicates that a storm is imminent.

With the approach of a storm, winds carry ozone down to ground level, making it detectable by our sense of smell.

Next time you see clouds accumulating, take a moment to inhale deeply.

You could potentially detect an incoming storm and stay dry on your trip to the store.