‘Snowy comeback’ forecast by Farmers’ Almanac, if you believe it

Dust off your yard sticks as a “snowy comeback” is predicted for the D.C. region in this year’s Farmers’ Almanac.

The new edition says that mid-Atlantic and Northeastern states should brace for the possibility of a blizzard in the second week of February, potentially bringing “up to 1-2 feet of snow to cities from Washington, D.C. to Boston, Massachusetts.”

That’s not the boldest of predictions: The end of January through the middle of February is often the snowiest time of year for the D.C. area.

But the almanac’s weather prognosticator, Caleb Weatherbee (a pseudonym, in case you were wondering) claims to have edge over the competition by observing sunspot activity, tidal action of the Moon and the position of the planets.

But last year’s almanac said D.C.’s winter would be defined by three “F” words — frigid, freezing and frosty. What it got was likely one of the top 10 warmest winter on record.

Maybe we just read it wrong?

The almanac’s August 2020 review of its winter 2019-20 predictions said there would be below-average temperatures from “the Heartland westward to the Pacific and in the Desert Southwest, Pacific Southwest, and Hawaii, but above-normal temperatures throughout the rest of the country.” That included a prediction for below-average snowfall for most of the continental U.S. as well.

Sounds a bit different from a conversation WTOP had with the almanac’s managing editor this time last year.

Back then, they said the winter “is going to be filled with thrills and chills” and forecast an arctic blast was coming in the transition from January to February.

They might want to double check with Weatherbee about this year’s predictions.

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