(WKBW-TV) BUFFALO, NY — It’s that time of year when long-range weather forecasts are coming out about the upcoming winter.
But what did we do before modern forecasting techniques and sophisticated computer modeling? And how did we figure out what the winter would look like? The wooly bear might have something to do with it. That’s what we’ll explore in this week’s edition of Josh’s Weather Academy.
Atmospheric computer models have come a long way over the years, but, in the scope of time, they haven’t been around for a long while. The desire to be in the know about what the upcoming season has in store weatherwise, however, has. Farmers and those cultivating the land have, over the centuries, turned to predictions from a variety of sources, like the Old Farmer’s Almanac.
They’ve also turned to nature for signs of the times, like the bushiness of a squirrel’s tail, which in fall, is supposed to determine how harsh the winter will be.
But one piece of folklore stands out from all the rest, and that’s the folklore around the wooly bear caterpillar. Here’s how it supposedly works. If you find one of these in your garden, look for their distinctive bands of color. The longer black bands indicate a longer, colder, snowier, and more severe winter. The position of the longest dark band is said to indicate which part of winter will be coldest. A wider middle brown band is associated with a milder winter. Also take note of how wooly the wooly bear is. The "woolier" the coat, the colder the winter.
So now you know a little bit more about winter weather forecasting folklore. It is a little folksy, but it can also be a lot of fun!
Got a weather question that you’d like answered? E-mail me at weather@wkbw.com, and your weather question could be the subject of the next Josh’s Weather Academy.
