Nature's winter forecast?

**jlxian** · 10-07-2005, 09:07 AM

In this area, people look to the color of the wooly worms, usually brown and black, as a sign of the winter to come. I've seen only one wooly worm and it was black which supposedly indicates a cold hard winter.

Another predictor is to open a persimmon seed and check on the shape of the embryo inside --- a "spoon" shape indicating lots of snow, a "knife" lots of cold, and I don't remember what the "fork" is supposed to predict. I have not checked our persimmon seeds yet -- it was 90 degrees earlier this week!

Have any of you looked to the signs in Nature for a winter prediction?

**Michelle** · 10-07-2005, 09:10 AM

The weatherman for our local news said that they can pretty accurately predict how much snow we will get by how much precipitation we get in the past 3 mos or so.

He said that since we haven't had much rain at all that we won't get a lot of snow. I'll believe that when I see (or *don't* see it!)

**Darlene** · 10-07-2005, 09:36 AM

I've seen bunches of wooly bears (what you call wooly worms) and had to play dodge 'em when driving the other day. Brown and black ones here but that black sure is more pronounced.

Another tale to tell is if the trees are loaded with pinecones, that may mean a harsh winter. Haven't gone to look...

**YankeeMom** · 10-07-2005, 09:41 AM

Originally posted by Michelle
The weatherman for our local news said that they can pretty accurately predict how much snow we will get by how much precipitation we get in the past 3 mos or so.

Oh dear! I don't want to hear that...we've had more rainy days than not the last 2 months