Author Topic: Interesting Winter Folklore  (Read 25092 times)

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Offline Farmtalk

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Interesting Winter Folklore
« on: November 14, 2011, 04:39:31 PM »
Totally related a couple of these that I heard:

When leaves fall early,
Fall and Winter will be mild;
When leaves fall late,
Winter will be severe.


This one looks good for me in terms of me wanting a good winter...It was abnormally late for the leaves to come down this year.

A warm November is the sign of a bad Winter.

It has been abnormally warm here...This weekend reached the low 70s and the low this morning was around 60!!!

The nearer the New Moon to Christmas Day, the harder the Winter.

This year's New Moon is on December 24th

Just a little something to keep in mind this winter while you all are roasting chestnuts over an open fire 8-)

--Farmtalk--
Joe Fitzwater
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Offline Farmtalk

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Re: Interesting Winter Folklore
« Reply #1 on: November 27, 2011, 01:40:48 PM »
Let me make note that it has been VERY warm here :-)  Most of the winter weather predicters have lowered the amount of snow for us, but honestly, i trust folklore than long term forecasting
Joe Fitzwater
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Offline Farmtalk

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Re: Interesting Winter Folklore
« Reply #2 on: December 04, 2011, 11:40:24 AM »
Well it was very warm in November but it also has been very warm this month :roll:
Joe Fitzwater
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Offline MCook21

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Re: Interesting Winter Folklore
« Reply #3 on: December 27, 2011, 08:49:08 PM »
interesting, learning something new every day =P

Offline Farmtalk

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Re: Interesting Winter Folklore
« Reply #4 on: December 27, 2011, 09:25:42 PM »
Hey! We all do!!! Thats what makes life great! 8-)
Joe Fitzwater
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Offline Scalphunter

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Re: Interesting Winter Folklore
« Reply #5 on: December 27, 2011, 10:57:02 PM »
Doesn't this really apply to where who ever wrote it. Leave here are generally gone by late September. They start turning anytime after mid August. By Mid October you can see miles aftermiles of bare branches which will green up all at same time  in May.  Over night you go from bare branches to green trees. Have to be seen to believe.

 My self weather pattern depict more  how severe an winter going to be.

John

Offline Farmtalk

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Re: Interesting Winter Folklore
« Reply #6 on: January 21, 2012, 10:36:39 AM »
Hey, different strokes for different folks  8-)
Joe Fitzwater
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Offline Farmtalk

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Re: Interesting Winter Folklore
« Reply #7 on: October 21, 2012, 11:39:30 AM »
Getting to be that time of predicting the winter again this year! I have read that the west coast could be above normal in warmth and florida could be below normal, but I think alot of question marks still arise for the central and eastern US
Joe Fitzwater
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Offline WeatherHost

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Re: Interesting Winter Folklore
« Reply #8 on: October 30, 2015, 06:25:05 AM »
Quote
We could be in for very strange winter weather if you believe the prediction of the persimmon seeds. "The seeds of the fruit I have cut open are showing something I have never seen before," said John Belski, meteorologist for WLKY and a long-time folklore forecast enthusiast.

Persimmon seeds that Belski cut into this year say we could be in for a year of powdery, light snow and milder temperature or icy, cutting winds with cold temperatures. What we're in for could be a surprise, he said.

Quote
If you cut into the seed of the fruit just right, you'll discover a shape inside. If you live in the South and observe a spoon, you're in for a winter without much heavy snowfall. But don't be confused, warns Belski, the same shape indicates lots of heavy, wet snow if you live in the North. If it's fork-shaped, you can expect powdery, light snow and milder temperatures. If the kernel is knife-shaped, expect to be "cut" by icy, cutting winds.

Most years Belski cuts into the persimmon and finds 80-90 percent are in the shape of a spoon, but this year there is no clear winner.

After splitting a large number of persimmon seeds, he has found an equal number of spoons, forks and knives.  "It's very strange, and I just don't know what to make of it," Belski says.

"Should we assume that the equal numbers mean an average winter or are we in for something usual? We'll have to wait and see."

http://www.courier-journal.com/story/life/2015/10/29/persimmon-seeds-predict-strange-winter-weather/74460654/

Offline WeatherHost

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Re: Interesting Winter Folklore
« Reply #9 on: October 30, 2015, 06:28:29 AM »
I know there was a discussion of Wooley Worms too, but I can't find it.

All of the ones I've seen so far this year have been either all brown, all black, or black at each end and brown in the middle.  I haven't seen any yet with any black bands in the middle.  Middle band are supposed to relate to snowfalls.  The ones I saw last fall had several middle bands and we got several snowfalls.


Offline Aardvark

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Re: Interesting Winter Folklore
« Reply #10 on: October 30, 2015, 08:32:37 AM »
 It was October and the Indians on a remote reservation asked their new chief if the coming winter was going to be cold or mild. Since he was a chief in a modern society he had never been taught the old secrets of weather prediction. When he looked at the sky he couldn't tell what the winter was going to be like.

Nevertheless, to be on the safe side he told his tribe that the winter was indeed going to be cold and that the members of the village should collect extra firewood to be prepared.

But being a practical leader, after several days he got an idea. He went to the phone booth, called the National Weather Service and asked, "Is the coming winter going to be cold?"

"It looks like this winter is going to be quite cold," the meteorologist at the weather service responded.

So the Chief went back to his people and told them to collect even more firewood in order to be prepared.

A week later he called the National Weather Service again. "Does It still look like it is going to be a very cold winter?"

"Yes," the man at National Weather Service again replied, "it's going to be a very cold winter."

The diligent Chief again went back to his people and ordered them to collect every scrap of firewood they could find.

Two weeks later the Chief called the National Weather Service again. "Are you absolutely sure that the winter is going to be very cold?"

"Absolutely," the man replied. "It's looking more and more like it is going to be one of the coldest winters ever."

"How can you be so sure?" the Chief asked.

The weatherman replied, "The Indians are collecting firewood like crazy."

Offline WeatherHost

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Re: Interesting Winter Folklore
« Reply #11 on: November 14, 2015, 01:22:08 PM »
I know there was a discussion of Wooley Worms too, but I can't find it.

All of the ones I've seen so far this year have been either all brown, all black, or black at each end and brown in the middle.  I haven't seen any yet with any black bands in the middle.  Middle band are supposed to relate to snowfalls.  The ones I saw last fall had several middle bands and we got several snowfalls.

I've seen several more in recent days and still not a single one with middle bands.



Offline WeatherHost

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Re: Interesting Winter Folklore
« Reply #13 on: April 01, 2016, 03:41:58 PM »
I know there was a discussion of Wooley Worms too, but I can't find it.

All of the ones I've seen so far this year have been either all brown, all black, or black at each end and brown in the middle.  I haven't seen any yet with any black bands in the middle.  Middle band are supposed to relate to snowfalls.  The ones I saw last fall had several middle bands and we got several snowfalls.

I've seen several more in recent days and still not a single one with middle bands.




Thinking about this today while I was out walking and saw different bugs.  For whatever it's worth, we did not have a single really significant snowfall.  A couple of 3 or 4 inchers as I remember.  And no significant cold weather spells.  Cold days yes, but nothing lengthy or dramatic.


I'll be watching for Wooley Worms next fall for sure.




Offline ValentineWeather

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Re: Interesting Winter Folklore
« Reply #14 on: April 01, 2016, 05:00:57 PM »
Not 100% sure but If memory serves very strong El Nino's are usually followed by strong La Niņa events. Meaning much of the areas with warmth will flip next winter without the southern jet being strong.
Randy

Offline CW2274

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Re: Interesting Winter Folklore
« Reply #15 on: April 01, 2016, 06:00:17 PM »
I know there was a discussion of Wooley Worms too, but I can't find it.

All of the ones I've seen so far this year have been either all brown, all black, or black at each end and brown in the middle.  I haven't seen any yet with any black bands in the middle.  Middle band are supposed to relate to snowfalls.  The ones I saw last fall had several middle bands and we got several snowfalls.

I've seen several more in recent days and still not a single one with middle bands.




I'll be watching for Wooley Worms next fall for sure.
Where I grew up we called them Wooley Bears.

Offline Farmtalk

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Re: Interesting Winter Folklore
« Reply #16 on: April 04, 2016, 10:04:24 PM »
I know there was a discussion of Wooley Worms too, but I can't find it.

All of the ones I've seen so far this year have been either all brown, all black, or black at each end and brown in the middle.  I haven't seen any yet with any black bands in the middle.  Middle band are supposed to relate to snowfalls.  The ones I saw last fall had several middle bands and we got several snowfalls.

I've seen several more in recent days and still not a single one with middle bands.




Thinking about this today while I was out walking and saw different bugs.  For whatever it's worth, we did not have a single really significant snowfall.  A couple of 3 or 4 inchers as I remember.  And no significant cold weather spells.  Cold days yes, but nothing lengthy or dramatic.


I'll be watching for Wooley Worms next fall for sure.


Had one storm that dropped 21", which is the 3rd most all-time here in central WV. Otherwise, probably 6" the remainder of the season.  8-)

Not 100% sure but If memory serves very strong El Nino's are usually followed by strong La Niņa events. Meaning much of the areas with warmth will flip next winter without the southern jet being strong.

This is a dated image, but I believe your theory is a good one.  8-)
Joe Fitzwater
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Offline DaleReid

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Re: Interesting Winter Folklore
« Reply #17 on: April 04, 2016, 10:43:12 PM »
I've often wondered about the old folk tales (March in or out like lion or lamb) and this business about wooly worms with their brown and black stripes and so on.

Even Halloween and the popular notion of what the seasons are like around it with frost on the pumpkin and so on is really only applicable to a narrow band, which seems to change year to  year.

Songs of the season?  Over the river and through the woods.  When was there snow deep enough to upsot a horse?

I guess it is like reading your horoscope.  If it fits, you are amazed at how someone can predict you so closely (especially if it fits what you want to see yourself as).  If it is off, well, I'll read it again tomorrow and see what it says.

When I was in college one of the new undergrads on the dorm floor was quite outgoing and had worked summers as a small town radio DJ, and at other times chasing stories for the local daily (they had them back then.)  He said one of the most fun parts of the job was sitting down with another fellow who bought the beer and churning out the next week or so's horoscopes.  The managing editor was pleased with the results and didn't have to buy them from some syndicated distributor, so it was fun for the guys and good for the bottom line.

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Offline WeatherHost

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Re: Interesting Winter Folklore
« Reply #18 on: April 11, 2017, 08:49:12 PM »
I know there was a discussion of Wooley Worms too, but I can't find it.

All of the ones I've seen so far this year have been either all brown, all black, or black at each end and brown in the middle.  I haven't seen any yet with any black bands in the middle.  Middle band are supposed to relate to snowfalls.  The ones I saw last fall had several middle bands and we got several snowfalls.

I've seen several more in recent days and still not a single one with middle bands.

Thinking about this today while I was out walking and saw different bugs.  For whatever it's worth, we did not have a single really significant snowfall.  A couple of 3 or 4 inchers as I remember.  And no significant cold weather spells.  Cold days yes, but nothing lengthy or dramatic.

I'll be watching for Wooley Worms next fall for sure.

Updating for future reference and gathering from the Fall '16 thread:

And the only Wooley Worm I've seen this year so far was an odd light brown, almost butter yellow color.  I'm not sure I recall seeing one that color before.

Saw another one the other day (and only the second one so far this year) that was the same color.  Remains to be seen what, if anything that means.

Have only seen a few wooley worms so far, but they're taking on their normal colors.  The ones I've seen so far are black at both ends, brown in between with no banding.

Again, no real snow at all.  One day we had a 2" or so in the morning but it was gone by later that day.   Only a few cold days with no extended freeze periods.  It will be very odd if this turns out to have some merit.




Offline jburns

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Re: Interesting Winter Folklore
« Reply #19 on: August 19, 2019, 11:58:24 AM »
My first post so I thought I would start in a little-used thread to test the waters. I have been a moderator on americanwx.com for several years. Every year the folks in the southeast forum start talking about squirrels, fog and wooly worms. I have responded with this post for the past several years with slight modifications.

Top Six Southern Winter Folklore Sayings

1. If you count the morning fogs in August you will know how many August mornings were foggy.

2. A heavy crop of acorns will lead to fatter than average squirrels next spring.

3. If it thunders in winter, 10 days later it will have happened 10 days ago.

4. If you study the bands of the wooly worm you will know how many are brown and how many are black.

5. Snow that lays on the ground for more than three days is dirty.

6. A ring around the moon means your Lasik surgeon screwed up