Will this winter be warm and mild or snowy and cold?
The weather-predicting business is a tough one. How do you know if the winter will be exceptionally snowy? Is it going to be a cold, long winter? According to folklore, all you need to do is look at the squirrels! Or measure the thickness of onion skins! Let’s take a look at signs of a bad winter according to weather lore passed down through the ages.
Winter is coming! How do we know what the conditions will be? First of all, check out the new Almanac winter forecast, released each year around Labor Day.
What Do the Squirrels Know About Winter?
The squirrels offer up some impressive rodent wisdom.
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Squirrels gathering nuts in a flurry,
Will cause snow to gather in a hurry.
That makes sense. If winter is going to be cold, you better store up more food! In addition, a tough winter is ahead if squirrels’ tails are very bushy. Even squirrel nesting patterns tell us how cold a winter will be. Nests higher in trees suggest a colder, snowier winter; nests located lower in trees suggest a milder winter.
The Birds and the Bees
In this case, knowing the birds and the bees is about closer observation of nature. As with squirrels, when birds migrate early or bees build their nests high in the trees, the winter is going to be awful. The old saying goes:
See how high the hornets nest,
‘twill tell how high the snow will rest.
Larger spider webs are also signs of a bad winter. Learn more about how insects predict the weather)
The Famous Woolly Worm Weather Prediction
How about the woolly worms? Ever seen those fuzzy-wuzzy worms cross the road in autumn? The furry bands of brown and rust on a woolly caterpillar will tell you if the upcoming winter will be cold.
Source: Wikimedia
Food Folklore: Onion, Apple, and Corn
Folklore claims that thicker onion skins can signal a cold and snowy winter.
Onion’s skin very thin,
Mild winter coming in;
Onion’s skin thick and tough,
Coming winter cold and rough.
–Gardener’s Rhyme
Other plants and trees also give cues about rain and cold weather if you observe closely.
- Like onions, thick skins on apples signal a bad winter.
- And thicker-than-normal corn husks indicate a harsh winter, too.
- Flowers in bloom late in autumn indicate a lousy winter.
- When leaves drop early, autumn and winter will be mild, but if they fall late, winter will be severe.
Weather Lore and Science
Some of these are based on old-fashioned observation. But some go back to science.
Interestingly, weather folklore warning of a harsh winter is based on La Niña and El Nino, which are natural climate phenomena related to the temperatures of the oceans. So, it’s a little bit of art and science!
- La Niña conditions tend to be dry in summer and cold in winter. If birds leave early, the leaves fall quickly, onions and apples are tough, and caterpillars are short, it may be due to the La Niña drought. A miserable La Niña winter will follow.
- El Niño conditions typically result in wetter-than-average conditions from southern California to the Gulf Coast and drier-than-average conditions in the Pacific Northwest.
Other folklore indicates that you shouldn’t let your guard down. Lots of berries, nuts, and flowers may be the sign of a lovely warm November. However, weather-wise, winter will probably be difficult.
Now, let’s check out the 2024–2025 Winter Weather Forecast from The Old Farmer’s Almanac.
James J. Garriss
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I noticed the same thing< I'm in east Texas
Winters here in N. Alabama are normally mild compared to just about anywhere. I have been noticing the squirrels this year, they have literally eaten every acorn, hickory nut, pine cone, you name it, it's all gone. I better order some more propane, nature does not lie.
The squirrels are going crazy. They are dropping the pecans and carrying them off. They are also stripping them down in the trees leaving my deck and pool full of shells. I've never seen it like this. Can't even walk on deck, so covered in pecans and shells.
Same here in south Georgia
Folklore based on the "science" of "La Nina"? That is ludicrous, since the folklore you mentioned is centuries old and the "La Nina" garbage is decades old.
Are you a meteorologist Doni? An oceanographer? An environmental doctorate? I've never understood the expression "Ignorance is bliss" To me, willful ignorance is shameful.
Lighten Up.
Age & Xperience Matter.
Eyes R Useless When the Mind is Blind.
Note that “a more milder winter” is redundant. “Milder” means “more mild;” you don’t need both.
My story appeared in your column on March 15 and I am still waiting for my payment. I emailed you immediately after the column appeared to advise you of my new address.
I have received no response from you. I would appreciate a reply and a check for the money you owe me. It's been almost four months now!!!
I live in the Inland NW. This will be the third winter at my home. I was noticing today, my squirrels are pudgy. In fact, they're just plain fat. We had our first snow of the season this past Friday. I will gladly continue to feed my little friends through this winter. Especially since it's rumored to wetter & colder then normal.
