Farmer's Almanac winter predictions 2016

Farmer's Almanac winter predictions 2016DWD’s Kevin Hanson in the middle of a particularly epic storm cycle this past winter at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. | Photo: Owen Ringwall

It’s that time of year. Summer is slowly slipping into fall, nights are getting colder, and we begin to longingly gaze at the closet door, tightly packed with all of our winter essentials. With premiere season around the corner, and Travis Rice’s highly anticipated four-year project, “The Fourth Phase” weeks away from its world premiere, it is hard to not daydream of the deep. For those with winter on the mind, The Farmers’ Almanac 2017 has just hit the shelves, and is calling for the following predictions. Remember, these are just predictions. Take them with a grain of salt.

FamersAlmanac.2017.forwebCould be accurate, could be bullshit. Only time will tell.

After a painfully dry winter on the east coast last season, it seems New England’s luck may have turned around. East Coasters better prepare; early predictions call for an exceptionally cold winter matched with higher than average snowfall. While the early forecast calls for the brunt of winter to hammer New England, the Midwest is expected to receive slightly higher than average snowfall and equally frigid temperatures. The Rockies are looking to receive an average snowfall, with slightly lower temps expected. Those in the Northwest, it is time to start crossing fingers and knocking on wood, while the Almanac calls for a stormy winter, warmer temperatures threaten a wetter than average season, however, this could mean big things for those in higher elevation zones.

All this being said, we are still holding out before making any big travel plans. While the Farmers’ Almanac claims 80 – 85% accuracy, we don’t have quite the same faith in Caleb Weatherbee’s predictions. Many professional meteorologists refute The Almanac, pointing to lower than 50% accuracy, and siting that the probability of forming accurate predictions so far in advance is absolute zero.

We look to last year in particular, when The Almanac predicted a mild winter in the Northwest and heavy snowfall for those in New England. This prediction ultimately turning out completely wrong, when Mother Nature decided to deliver the exact opposite across the board. However, regardless of accuracy, The Farmers Almanac’s release is always a truthful sign of impending winter, and gets us excited no matter its predictions.

Get your Farmer’s Almanac here

See also: JH PowWow: A gathering of powder hunters at Jackson Hole