SAVANNAH, Ga. (Aug. 14, 2008) – Folklore says that “for every fog in August, there will be a snowfall.” Other winter weather indicators include: “if the first week in August is unusually warm, the coming winter will be snowy and long” and “if a cold August follows a hot July, it foretells a winter hard and dry.”
At Farmer’s Almanac, weather lore is acknowledged and appreciated, but it is not used in making long-range weather predictions. Farmer’s Almanac uses a mathematical and astronomical formula that has proven to be quite accurate, and doesn’t require those who are curious about the upcoming winter to head out to a farm to see if pigs are gathering sticks or corn husks are thicker than normal.
Weather lore passed down from sailor to farmer to business executive may seem a little silly to those of us in the 21st century who look online for the 10-day forecast. But it’s hard to discount these “natural forecasters” who make their observations over many years based on a strong cause-and-effect relationship between nature and weather. A weather lore forecaster takes cues from nature and predicts a short-term forecast for a specific area, rather than a long-term forecast for broad areas.
Some examples that can prove to be true include:
The 2009 Farmers’ Almanac, which goes on sale Aug. 26, reveals the much anticipated forecast for our upcoming winter and features many “green” and money-saving tips from the experts at Farmers’ Almanac. To order a copy, visit www.FarmersAlmanac.com.