20 Signs Of Bad Winter Coming

Before there were weather apps for your smartphone, people looked to nature to prepare for what's to come. What signs of a hard winter are you already seeing in your backyard?

Predicting winter weather has always been important, especially for farmers and our ancestors who didn’t have access to all of the technology we have. Fortunately nature has always offered clues to upcoming weather conditions so you could prepare ahead. Today, most of us forget to tune into these natural signs.

A wonderful friend of Farmers’ Almanac’s Editor, Ray Geiger’s, Cleveland weather guru Dick Goddard put together a laundry list of 20 signs of nature that can predict a harsh winter ahead. We featured the list in the 1978 Farmers’ Almanac, and it is still relevant today.

20 Signs of a Cold and Harsh Winter

According to weather lore, if you see any of these signs, winter could be quite tough, with lots of cold temperatures and snow:

1. Thicker-Than-Normal Onion Skins or Corn Husks

two ears of corn in their husks on a table
If you grew corn or harvested some onions from the garden, check the skins to see if they’re thicker or thinner (it doesn’t count with store-bought onions, which may have been grown elsewhere).

2. Woodpeckers Sharing a Tree

3. The Early Arrival of the Snowy Owl

Snowy owl - Owls
Snowy Owl

4. The Early Departure of Geese and Ducks

geese flying south at sunset

5. The Early Migration of the Monarch Butterfly

6. Thick Hair on the Nape of a Cow’s Neck

dairy cow

7. Heavy and Numerous Fogs During August

foggy lake
Pay attention and count the number of fogs in August. Folklore says the number will correspond to the number of snowstorms the coming winter.

8. Raccoons With Thick Tails and Bright Bands

9. Mice Chewing Furiously To Get Into Your Home

mouse in a hole in a home

10. The Early Arrival of Crickets on the Hearth

Crickets are not only a symbol of good luck but they can also tell us about the winter weather ahead.

11. Spiders Spinning Larger-Than-Usual Webs and Entering the House in Great Numbers

12. Pigs Gathering Sticks

13. Ants Marching in a Line Rather Than Meandering

14. Early Seclusion of Bees Within the Hive

15. Unusual Abundance of Acorns

Acorns on the ground in fall
An abundance of acorns is a sign of things to come. Seeing green acorns? Here’s what it means.

16. Muskrats Burrowing Holes High on the River Bank

Keep an eye on Susie and Sam!

17. “See how high the hornet’s nest, ‘twill tell how high the snow will rest.”

18. The Size of the Orange Band on the Woolly Bear (or Woolly Worm) Caterpillar

According to folklore, if the woolly worm caterpillar’s orange band is narrow, the winter will be snowy; conversely, a wide orange band means a mild winter (all black caterpillars are not woolly worms). And fuzzier-than-normal woolly worm caterpillars are said to mean that winter will be very cold.

19. Squirrels Gathering Nuts Early to Fortify Against a Hard Winter

A squirrel with a nut in his mouth foreshadowing a hard winter ahead.
Are the squirrels in your backyard furiously gathering and storing nuts? A hard winter may be in store.

20. Frequent Halos or Rings Around the Sun or Moon Forecasts Numerous Snowfalls

Related: What Is A Moon Halo Or Moonbow?

What About Persimmons?

Winter weather lore says to cut inside the seed of a ripe persimmon—the shape of the cotyledon will tell you what’s in store for winter. Read more about how to predict the weather with your locally grown persimmon here.

Join The Discussion

Are you seeing any of these signs in your backyard?

Do you know of any other signs from nature that foretell a harsh winter?

Share with your community here in the comments section below!

Can pine cones predict the upcoming winter?

Snow lore – what lore points to snowy conditions?

Farmers' Almanac - Weather forecasting
Peter Geiger

Peter Geiger is the Editor of the Farmers' Almanac. Read his full biography.

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Margery Bradley

My walnut trees shed very few walnuts this year and that’s very unusual. I thought this could be a sign of a mild winter?

Spurwing Plover

I had several Harvestman Spider in my Apartment this Spring and Summer

Jerry

Up in North Jersey, we are not seeing much of any these signs. Very few acorns or even the dust from the caps being crush by our cars. We had a cricket or 2 in the home but that is it. A couple of high webs last month but nothing as in the past years. Even critter activity is low.

Leslie

I find all this so interesting. Thank you for sharing!

Richard Parker

Early heavy mast of acorns 3 weeks ago . Water is high in the swamp . Pine trees dropping there needles like crazy . Squirrel s hoarding acorns , my dog is going crazy chasing them

Bernard

The last time o saw all the across this much in my driveway we had 80inches of snow and actual temperature of 35 below 0

Heather

Oh wow!!! Wishes for a safe winter for you!

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