Weather Fact Wednesday: Why you can smell rain

On a rainy Southwest Florida day, it’s hard not to notice the “smell of rain” when stepping outside. However, raindrops don’t have a scent, so where exactly is that smell coming from?

This phenomenon is known as petrichor. The American Chemical Society defines petrichor as “the term coined by Australian scientists in 1964 to describe the unique, earthy smell associated with rain.”

Plants emit oils, especially when it is dry outside. When dry soil is moistened by the falling rain, the “earthy, rainy” smell permeates the air.

From there, the combination of oxygen molecules along with the soil-dwelling bacteria causes the familiar smell to be released into the air.

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Your nose is likely to pick up on the scent after a stretch of dry weather. If you have a weather question, email them to lauren.kreidler@winknews.com to be featured in a future Weather Fact Wednesday.