Under water famine, under snow bread.

The saying contrasts damaging excess water with beneficial snow: flooding or persistent wetness is imagined as bringing crop failure, whereas snow is associated with a later supply of food.

Its force lies in an agricultural paradox: winter snow may protect the ground and later provide moisture, while water at the wrong time or in too great a quantity can ruin crops. It states a broad seasonal rule, not a reliable prediction for every climate, crop, or kind of precipitation.

Use it when discussing how weather affects harvests, especially to contrast destructive inundation with snow expected to nourish or safeguard future crops. It suits a concise, traditional observation rather than a precise agricultural forecast.