This post is the second in a series on weather predictions for the 2018-2019 winter and preparing for the cold with roll off container rental and junk hauling services. If you haven’t read part 1 yet, I recommend you do before continuing.

Old Farmer’s Almanac vs. Farmer’s Almanac (continued)

Thomas’ almanac was based on the idea that the key to predicting the weather was monitoring solar activity. Specifically, Thomas was concerned with sun spots – magnetic storms that move across the surface of the sun. Most solar flares and coronal mass ejections occur alongside sunspots. Nowadays, the Old Farmer’s Almanac has updated their methodology somewhat. They also integrate data from prevailing climate patterns, jet-stream fluctuations, ocean temperature records, and data from weather satellites.

Young’s almanac, on the other hand, uses a secret formula passed down from its original author. They’re very hush-hush about what goes into this formula, but they do say that it takes into account solar activity, lunar activity, and the position of the planets. Unlike the Old Farmer’s Almanac; however, the Farmer’s Almanac doesn’t integrate modern satellite technology into their method.

What are the predictions for this winter?

When it comes to the ’18-’19 winter, the predictions of these two almanacs are a bit different. The Old Farmer’s Almanac predicts above normal temperatures for everywhere in the US except a small swath of the Southwest. They also predict above average levels of rain, and below average levels of snow. The Farmer’s Almanac, on the other hand, predicts a “teeth-chattering cold” winter, with above average amounts of snowfall for most of the US.

Be prepared for winter

With our almanacs disagreeing, and science unwilling to hazard a guess, what should we prepare for? Well, as the old saying goes, hope for the best and prepare for the worst. Even if the Farmer’s Almanac is right, we should still have plenty of time to get our projects done and baton down the hatches before the real winter weather comes. So get that roll off container rental or junk hauling service set up now, and get ready!