View Full Version : Farmer's Almanac
Mother Natures Son
08-30-2013, 19:13
The Farmer's Almanac is out with their prediction for the winter and it isn't good. Cold and Snowy for most of the country. May question is this, how often are they right and can you plan your next Winter hike on what they are saying?
Slo-go'en
08-30-2013, 21:14
I take what ever the OFA says and figure the exact opposite will happen. I don't know if anyone has done an actual comparison between the OFA predictions and the actual weather. Alright, I guess I'll just have to do a search...
Search results - The OFA is not accurate. Thier predictions are no better than using average data for the region in question. You can say it will be cold and snowy in the winter and be right most of the time since it is generally cold and snowy in the winter.
My gut feeling is this winter will be a lot like last winter, but then, it might be a lot like the winter before that. Toss a coin.
hikerboy57
08-30-2013, 21:16
ill just watch the squirrels and acorn harvests
Slo-go'en
08-30-2013, 21:33
Lots of apples this year if that's any indication. Berries did well too. All ready seeing a little red, yelow and orange in some trees. Not many oaks around here, so can't go by that.
johnnybgood
08-30-2013, 21:35
I'll just keep an eye open for Tipi Walter .
I just watch the weather channel
hikerboy57
08-30-2013, 21:53
I just watch the weather channel
theyre never right. they watch the accuweather forecast
hikerboy57
08-30-2013, 21:53
the accuweather forecast is based on farmers almanac
the accuweather forecast is based on farmers almanac
It's a circular prediction
hikerboy57
08-30-2013, 22:17
acunamatata
I miss my grandmother. That lady had probably a 90% accurate prediction rate. She was a country gal who lived off the land. She just knew things.
atraildreamer
08-31-2013, 15:25
I use this for weather reports:
23758
Drybones
08-31-2013, 15:35
ill just watch the squirrels and acorn harvests
I'll watch the acorns and harvest the squirrels.
Drybones
08-31-2013, 15:37
I miss my grandmother. That lady had probably a 90% accurate prediction rate. She was a country gal who lived off the land. She just knew things.
Had a dog that was never wrong, we always knew when rain was moving in.
max patch
08-31-2013, 15:39
This is not the year you want to get lucky and somehow come up with Super Bowl tickets.
Drybones
08-31-2013, 15:41
Lots of apples this year if that's any indication. Berries did well too. All ready seeing a little red, yelow and orange in some trees. Not many oaks around here, so can't go by that.
Maybe it's the area but my pear tree had one pear, apple tree had one apple, fig tree had about 6 figs but they all disappeared but one...looks like one is my magic number. But boy did the trees grow taller.
gollwoods
08-31-2013, 15:44
that's just awesome.
FarmerChef
08-31-2013, 16:26
I'll eat the squirrels and harvest the acorns. Gotta get those tannins out though.
I judge the winter by my wood pile. If its low it will be a bad winter. If I've got 6 cord it'll be warm as ... :D
hikerboy57
08-31-2013, 18:47
if you stock up on rock salt it is certain to be a mild winter if you buy a new snow blower it is certain not to snow
MarathonGirl14
08-31-2013, 18:56
I've seen lots of wooly worms already here in Nawth Jawja. Gonna be a cold winter.
Slo-go'en
08-31-2013, 20:36
If we start seeing wooly mamoths, we're in real trouble...
Another Kevin
09-01-2013, 08:40
if you stock up on rock salt it is certain to be a mild winter if you buy a new snow blower it is certain not to snow
But washing your car during a drought to make it rain doesn't work. :)
hikerboy57
09-01-2013, 08:42
if you stock up on rock salt it is certain to be a mild winter if you buy a new snow blower it is certain not to snow
But washing your car during a drought to make it rain doesn't work. :) yeah you usually end up getting a ticket
fredmugs
09-01-2013, 08:51
Here's a thought: Look at older predictions and see how accurate they were.
Rocket Jones
09-01-2013, 09:00
My Uncle Henry's bunion was the best predictor I've ever known. After he passed we had him laminated and keep him on the porch, but he's not nearly as accurate any more.
My Uncle Henry's bunion was the best predictor I've ever known. After he passed we had him laminated and keep him on the porch, but he's not nearly as accurate any more.
25/75%
40/60%
50/50%
60/40%
75/25%
Just wondering in case I have any relatives worth laminating.
Pedaling Fool
01-02-2014, 11:00
I know winter ain't over yet, but I think the OFA got it wrong, at least for my area this time of year. Hey, but I'll cut them a break, since this forecast is produced months in advance. http://www.almanac.com/weather/longrange/zipcode/32233
So far to date we haven't been all that cold and we have had sufficient rains.
Excerpt:
Annual Weather Summary: November 2013 to October 2014
Winter will be colder than normal, with rainfall below normal in northern and central counties and above normal in the south. The coldest temperatures will occur in early November, early to mid-December, and in late January.
April and May will be hotter and rainier than normal, especially in the south.
Summer will be hotter than normal, with the hottest periods in mid-June, from late June through early July, and in early August. Rainfall will be much above normal in the north but a bit below normal in the south.
September and October will be warmer and rainier than normal, with several hurricane threats in September.
Slo-go'en
01-02-2014, 12:27
It sure has been friggen cold up my way. It's a balmy 2 out right now. Forcast for minus 34 early Friday morning after the Nor'easter pulls away. Then back up to +30 on Monday with rain showers. What the heck is going on?
johnnybgood
01-02-2014, 15:13
Been plenty cold enough overnight to snow here in the Piedmont of Va but the timing of storm systems is off.
SNP has seen only one snowfall of appx 3 -5 inches so far although the month of December saw below average temperatures.