Most months have a full moon, and only one, and each in olden times would have a name. Only two names survive in anything like common use Harvest Moon, the full moon nearest to the autumnal equinox around September 22nd, and Hunters Moon, being that which follows. As we noted yesterday, the full moon in the night sky at present is Harvest Moon by the above criterion, but some would argue that it should be Hunters Moon, since it is the full moon of October.
The other moons are rarely heard of nowadays. There are several listings, the most widely known, perhaps, being that which stems from the North American colonial tradition. By this reckoning the Harvest and Hunters moons in September and October are followed in November by Frost or Beaver Moon; December brings the Yule or Winter Moon, January the Wolf Moon, and Februarys full moon is called the Snow Moon. This in turn is followed by Storm Moon and Wind Moon, and so on up to Corn Moon in August which brings us to the autumnal equinox and Harvest Moon again.
The names used by the Native Americans were more evocative. The Moon When Wolves All Run Together in December was followed in January by the Moon When Cold is Strongest; then followed successively the Moon When the Coyotes Live in Fear, the Moon When Buffalo Produce their Calves, the Moon When Geese Lay Eggs, the Moon When the Horse Grows Fat, Corn Tasselling Moon, the Moon When Cherries Ripen, the Moon When Geese Shed Their Feathers, the Moon When Corn is Taken In, and Big Wind Moon. Finally, November, as Longfellow recalls: Touched the rugged hills with smoothness/Brought the tender Indian Summer/To the melancholy North land/In the dreamy Moon of Snowshoes.
We Celts, too, had names for the 12 moons of the year. Harvest Moon in the Celtic tradition was placed firmly in October, and it was followed successively by Dark Moon, Cold Moon and Quiet Moon; February brought the Moon of Ice Winds, followed by Growing Moon, Bright Moon and so on up to Septembers Singing Moon. The ancient Chinese also had a list, this time with the Harvest Moon in August. Chrysanthemum Moon in September was followed by Octobers Kindly Moon, and White Moon and Bitter Moon rounded off the year.
So you have a choice. The full moon you may see tonight between the intervals of rain could be the Harvest Moon or Hunters Moon; or you could think of it as the Kindly Moon of the Chinese, or most appropriately of all, perhaps, the Big Wind Moon.