The Farmers’ Almanac Winter Forecast Has Arrived and It's Not Pretty

From Woman's Day

Soak up the sun while you still can, because it's going to be a very long winter.

The Farmers' Almanac just released its extended weather forecast and it's predicting a "polar coaster" season this year — which is just as bad as it sounds.

"Our extended forecast is calling for yet another freezing, frigid, and frosty winter for two-thirds of the country," Farmers' Almanac Editor and Philom Peter Geiger said in a press release.

Last year's annual prediction called for a long, snowy winter, and unfortunately it turned out to be correct. The Farmers' Almanac promises the upcoming 2019-2020 season will be "another wild ride" with frigid temperatures and "hefty snowfalls" affecting a majority of the country.

People on the East Coast will endure the worst of the cold weather, as experts predict areas east of the Rockies all the way to the Appalachians will experience a particularly brutal season. With these colder-than-normal temperatures and above-normal precipitation, the Farmers' Almanac also warns that a "wintry mix" of rain, sleet, and snow is likely along the coast. However, the western-third of the country can expect a milder winter with near-normal temperatures and precipitation.

Late January will bring the coldest temperatures of the year, predicted to affect millions of people across the Northern Plains into the Great Lakes. (Remember last year's polar vortex? Get ready for round two.)

Of course, you should take all this with a grain of salt, as extended weather forecasting can never be 100% accurate. Long before today's technology existed, people relied on nature to predict harsh weather — and some if it still holds true in modern times. Here are 20 signs that a rough winter is coming, according to folklore, so you can keep an eye out for more evidence:

1. Thicker-Than-Normal Corn Husks.

2. Woodpeckers Sharing a Tree.

3. The Early Arrival of the Snowy owl.

4. The Early Departure of Geese and Ducks.

5. The Early Migration of the Monarch butterfly.

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

7. Heavy and Numerous Fogs During August.

8. Raccoons With Thick Tails and Bright Bands.

9. Mice Chewing Furiously To Get Into Your Home.

10. The Early Arrival of Crickets on the Hearth.

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.

16. Muskrats Burrowing Holes High on the River Bank.

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 Woollybear (or Woollyworm) Caterpillar.

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

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

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