Marching ants? Pigs gathering sticks? Beware: Harsh winter ahead.
The Farmers' Almanac shared a list of 20 signs from nature that can predict a harsh winter ahead. Have you seen any of them?
Sure, you could wait for the long-range forecasts from meteorologists to see what winter might bring.
But why not look to cows, pigs and spiders to see what they foretell?
You might have heard about some weather folklore, such as the Woolly bear or Woolly worm caterpillar. If its orange band is narrow, it'll be snowy. Wide? A mild winter. Fuzzier than normal? Very cold winter.
But what about the hair on the nape of a cow? The behavior of ants? Or many creatures invading your house?
On Friday, the Farmers' Almanac shared a list of 20 signs from nature that warn of a harsh upcoming winter. These are signs that ancestors looked for before meteorologists were around and passed down through generations, a news release states.
The publication, which dates to 1818, has predicted a "Polar Coaster Winter" for 2019-2020. It's expected to be a wild ride with temperature swings and some hefty snowfalls, Peter Geiger, editor of the "Farmers' Almanac," said in a news release.
The list of the 20 signs from nature comes from Cleveland's weatherman Dick Goddard, the news release states.
Here are the 20 signs:
- Thicker-than-normal corn husks.
- Woodpeckers sharing a tree.
- The early arrival of the snowy owl.
- The early departure of geese and ducks.
- The early migration of the Monarch butterfly.
- Thick hair on the nape of a cow's neck.
- Heavy and numerous fogs during August.
- Raccoons with thick tails ad bright bands.
- Mice chewing furiously to get into your home.
- The early arrival of crickets on the hearth.
- Spiders spinning larger-than-usual webs.
- Pigs gathering sticks.
- Ants marching in a line rather than meandering.
- Early seclusion of bees within a hive.
- Unusual abundance of acorns.
- Muskrats burrowing holes high on the river bank.
- "See how high the hornet's nest, 'twill tell how high the snow will rest."
- Squirrels gathering nuts early to fortify against a hard winter
- Frequent halos or rings around the sun or moon forecast numerous snowfalls.
- The size of the orange band on the Woolly bear (or Woolly worm) caterpillar. If the band is narrow, it will be snowy. If it's wide, it will be a mild winter. Fuzzier than normal? Winter will be very cold.
No word on whether any of these have been sighted, but forecasters are predicting a mild winter for central Pennsylvania.
Temperatures are expected to be a little above normal, National Weather Service Michael Colbert has said. An equal chance exists for above or below average precipitation. With warmer temperatures, it will likely mean more rain than snow.