2008 Farmers' Almanac® predicts a "two-faced winter"

Weather is the most talked about subject on earth, which makes the annual Farmers’ Almanac weather predictions a hot topic. Fans of the Almanac say its famous long-range forecast is accurate between 80 and 85 percent of the time. This coming winter, the Farmers’ Almanac is calling for a “two-faced season.”

“Mother Nature is once again keeping all of us on our toes,” reveals Editor and Philom., Peter Geiger, “we know she likes to throw curve balls at us from time to time and this winter it looks as though she’s going to reveal a possible split personality.”

This “two-faced” Farmers’ Almanac forecast reveals a colder than normal conditions for the eastern half of the country – chiefly those areas east of the Mississippi –with snowier than normal conditions expected.

For the western half of the country – mainly those areas west of the Mississippi – the overall winter will be milder than normal, with near or below normal precipitation. Quite a change from last year, when cold and stormy weather came blasting.

For areas lying along the Mississippi, the news is less clear-cut, as wild fluctuations in temperature and precipitation are expected throughout the winter.

“Near and along the boundary zone between the mild, tranquil West and the cold, stormy East, we look for some large scale vacillations,” said Caleb Weatherbee, weather forecaster for the Farmers’ Almanac. “From wintry to springlike and back to wintry; almost like a meteorological pendulum undergoing a series of pretty wild swings.”

Last year, the Farmers’ Almanac called for a cold winter, making “Shivery is Not Dead” the motto for the year. Despite the appearance of an El Nino, which resulted in a warm start to the winter, the Almanac’s predictions were right on during the latter half of the season, accurately forecasting a series of major snowstorms that hit Denver during Christmas Week, as well as a series of major storms that gripped the northeast throughout February and March.

While the long-range forecast is a favorite section for most readers, there’s a lot more in this year’s edition of the Farmers’ Almanac than just weather. Probably the most exciting addition this year is the Worst Wedding Weather Contest; one lucky couple could win a fabulous second honeymoon in the Caribbean, courtesy of Windjammer Barefoot Cruises. Contestants will submit their wedding weather sob stories online, to be judged by America in March.

Other features this year include a look into where the Farmers’ Almanac editors stand in the ongoing controversy over climate change; an outline to help readers make 2008 a “Year of Wellness,” one month at a time; tips on ways to safely remove squirrels, bats, birds and other creatures that may make themselves at home inside; a helpful list of spices that can help to fend off a bitter winter chill; practical ways to maintain close relationships and cultivate new friendships amid the frenetic pace of today’s word; and a look into how climate affects the color and vibrancy of autumn leaves, along with a list of peak leaf peeping days for every state in the U.S.  This year’s edition also includes countless annual favorites such as the 12 month Gardening by the Moon Schedule, Best Days to fish, quit habits or view meteors, helpful hints, wit and wisdom of days gone by, tide tables, humor, brainteasers and much more.