Two Feet Of Snow? Farmers' Almanac Predicts A Huge Winter Storm For The Ohio Valley In February
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- With only one more full day left in August that means summer is mostly in the rearview mirror. Fall is on the horizon and it's time to look ahead to the weather ahead.
To help us plan for the cold months, the Farmers' Almanac and the Old Farmer's Almanac are both out with their long-range forecasts.
First, to the Farmers' Almanac, editor Peter Geiger says he uses sunspot activity, planet positions, the moon and a mathematical formula developed in the early 1800s to come up with his forecast. He develops them two years in advance.
In his predictions, Geiger says we should get ready for a few big snowfalls and that includes a possible monster one at the end of February.
"Nothing huge until early December, and then the 4-7, we talked about a big storms," Geiger.
After that, Geiger says the month of December calms down on the snow front. However, we should get ready for some bitter cold.
"We talked about it being bitterly cold over Christmas, maybe some flurries," Geiger said.
The Farmers' Almanac says the first week of January will be a mild one, but it won't last.
"A whole series of storms in the middle of January," Geiger said.
He's talking 4-8 inches of snow around Jan. 8-11.
Don't let a flop of a February fool you, the fireworks are expected at the very end of the month. Geiger says beware of Feb. 24-28.
Geiger: "At the end we talk about a major storm track through the Ohio Valley, two feet of snow. The big thing in February is going to be one storm at the end of the month and that's in the books."
KDKA's John Shumway: "Two feet of snow?!?"
Geiger: "Well, up to two feet. I shouldn't say I'm going to guarantee two feet, but there's going to be a storm and it's going to be a huge storm."
In March, the Farmers' Almanac says we'll see another storm between March 12-15, but the worst of that 1-2 feet of snow will be off to our northeast.
There's no mention of snow in April. In fact, the outlook for the Easter holiday is looking nice, so says the Farmers' Almanac.
For more information:
The winter outlook in the Old Farmer's Almanac is calling for "colder than normal" conditions and "above-normal" snowfall in the Ohio Valley.
Their long-range predictions also include a very snowy mid- to late-February. Other snowy periods include mid-December and early- and mid-January.
They say the coldest temperatures will occur in mid- to late-November and from mid-December through January.
