I have always heard the phrase “The devil is beating his wife” in reference to a weather condition in which it is raining and the sun is shining. Any clues as to its origin? Is it mainly a Southern phrase? (I live in Georgia)
I had never heard this one, before, although several sites claim that it is common. Google turned up several references, but no explanations:
The Weather Notebook: Geese, Dutchman, and the Devil claims that it is Hungarian, but offers no citation or explanation.
South Talkin’: Letter ‘D’ makes it a Southern regionalism, but does not really explain it.
LINGUIST List 9.1565: Korean Ling., Word association, … mentions it as an example of a particular type of expression, but does not explain it.
And so on. . . .
I never heard of a term for this weather condition, but I have heard an old wives tale that if it rains while the sun is shining, it will rain the next day as well. I’ve tried to track these rare occurences and it seems to be true, whenever I’ve seen rain falling while it’s sunny it does indeed rain the next day. I guess it is just a sign of prolonged unstable weather.
I also live in Georgia, but my mother grew up in Tennessee and has always said the devil was beating his wife during a sunny shower.
Don’t have a clue as to the origin!
Where I come from (South Africa) this phenomenon was refered to as a “monkey’s wedding”. 
Don’t ask me why!!
Gp
I’ve never heard this saying before until I moved to Hungary and my Hungarian girlfriend once quoted it during a spring storm. So, no definite answer, but some support to the Weather Report:Geese, Dutchman and the Devil citation.
I heard it all the time growing up in Louisiana. Every time it rains when the sun is shining, some one will say “The devil is beating his wife.” About half the time some one will add “for burning up the rice.” No one that I’ve spoken to in New York has heard of it.
I have no idea where the expression comes from, but I’ve wondered.
For what it’s worth: My great-grandmother used to say “The Devil’s chasing his wife.” I believe she was born in New Jersey. Her ancestry was English.
How do you know so much about the Devil’s in-laws? I mean, I suppose I can see ol’ Nick marrying a Jersey gal, but the English? I never would have guessed :D.
Next time you see this happen, by the way, look for a pot of gold. Someone, somewhere is seeing you at the end of a rainbow.
My grandmother here in Québec used tos ay it also, but the addition was “to bring him pancakes”. The whole in French, of course.
Please edgemocate the ignorant athiest: Who is the devil’s wife? I’ve never heard of such a figure appearing in writings of religious mythology. It would be strange to discover that no such entity exists in the bible, seeing as how the OP asserts that he lives in or close to bible belt territory.
The devil’s wife is not mentioned in the Bible, in fact, the Devil himself makes scant few appearances as an actual character as I understand it. I believe that Jewish mythology refers to Lilith as the Devil’s wife, though.
–Tim
Grew up hearing that one too in MS. My SO had never heard it until he met me. He’s a yankee don’t you know.
I was wondering the exact same thing. Personally, I always assumed the devil had whores. Lots and lots of whores.
Don’t forget Saddam Hussein.
Lilith was Adam’s first wife. I believe she was either a demoness or a spirit of some kind. I’m not sure what the justification for this myth is though.
In the bible, I don’t think the devil has any kith or kin. However, in the folk tales of many lands the Devil’s wife and the Devil’s grandmother are occasionally referred to. They usually help the Hero get something he needs form the underworld.
Lilith, Adam’s first wife, is said (in some legends) to have left Adam and the garden and gone her own way. Some legends say she had children by demons. There have been several threads about Lilith and her origin, relationships and mythology. Please use the search button located in the upper right corner of your SDMB window.
In Japan and Korea, they say, “The fox spirits are getting married.” Nicely dramatized in Akira Kurosawa’s Dreams.
Well, I’ve lived in Alabama my whole short life and have heard and used the expression, usually adding “with a fryin’ pan” to the beating part. I always assumed that it had to do with the fact that something usually perceived as bad (stormy weather) was happening at the same time as something good (sunny weather); i.e. -it’s bad to beat your wife with a fryin’ pan, but, gee, it’s the DEVIL’s wife, after all, so it’s good–back and forth, back and forth. There is no real Biblical significance to it–does no good to try to deconstruct the actual nature of Satan or whether or not he has a wife. Just go with the idea that they ain’t what you’d call nice folks!
And the odd thing is that this very phenomenon of sunny rain has now occurred here in Birmingham twice in the last two days–once as I was driving home yesterday after work, and then about an hour and a half ago as I was walking to lunch. (Yes, I know this part really should be over on MPSIMS, kind of like the fact that “Sunny Rain” would be a good name for a musician, or a porno actress)