Farmers’ Almanac Predicts Cold Winter

Posted In: Commodities, Consumer Prices, Energy, Natural Gas, Natural Resources, Oil

Worried about high heating bills this coming winter? Maybe you should be. From The New York Times this Sunday:

People worried about the high cost of keeping warm this winter will draw little comfort from the Farmers’ Almanac, which predicts below-average temperatures for most of the U.S.

“Numb’s the word,” says the 192-year-old publication, which claims an accuracy rate of 80 to 85 percent for its forecasts that are prepared two years in advance.

The almanac’s 2009 edition, which goes on sale Tuesday, says at least two-thirds of the country can expect colder-than-average temperatures this winter, with only the Far West and Southeast in line for near-normal readings.

“This is going to be catastrophic for millions of people,” said almanac editor Peter Geiger.

Carsicles

The Almanac broke their forecast down by region. From the article:

The almanac predicts above-normal snowfall for the Great Lakes and Midwest, especially during January and February, and above-normal precipitation for the Southwest in December and for the Southeast in January and February. The Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions will likely have an unusually wet or snowy February, the almanac said.

In contrast, the usually wet Pacific Northwest could be a bit drier than normal in February.

Source:

“Winter weather? Almanac says ‘Numb’s the word!’”
Associated Press, August 24, 2008

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