As best as i can remember it rained on Noah's ark for around 40 days and nights also . That number may have some other meaning in the Bible . In the Tibeten book of the dead there is a peorid of time a soul hangs around , I dont remember what that time is .
p.s.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bardo_Thodol
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noah's_Ark