Any truth to winter severity indicators such as caterpillars, etc?

sixdogs · Oct 20, 2014

My neighbor is trying to tell me it will be a terrible winter because he saw caterpillars high in the tree and his dog has a thicker coat than last year. I wondered why the dog didn't have a thicker coat for last year's terrible winter?

I want to believe these things so I can divine the future but wonder if we can put any stock in these indicators? Seems like nature would tip us off? Are there any reliable indicators or should I forget about it?

adirondackmtnman · Oct 20, 2014

Around here we have several of those predictors. Bees building close to the ground to indicate a cold winter, or high to indicate a lot of snow. The width of the band on the 'wooly worm' caterpillar indicating the severity, and so on. I don't know if any of these things are actually indicative of anything more than the human species' desire to be a real-life, in-the-flesh farmer's almanac. Would be interesting to see if there is any scientific relevance to any of it.

BobRip · Oct 20, 2014

I usually use the thermometer! We are having a lot of acorns this year. How would a tree know?

k0ua · Oct 20, 2014

sixdogs said:
My neighbor is trying to tell me it will be a terrible winter because he saw caterpillars high in the tree and his dog has a thicker coat than last year. I wondered why the dog didn't have a thicker coat for last year's terrible winter?

I want to believe these things so I can divine the future but wonder if we can put any stock in these indicators? Seems like nature would tip us off? Are there any reliable indicators or should I forget about it?

I think you have indicated your own answer.. Stupid dog.

Last winter sucked, and he did not grow a thick coat?.. is the dog smarter this fall? I don't think so.

Grandad4 · Oct 20, 2014

BobRip said:
I usually use the thermometer! We are having a lot of acorns this year. How would a tree know?

Same here... like walking on marbles in our front yard. As for why, my theory is it's because 2014 has had a cooler than average summer. Dunno if that tells anything about upcoming winter. Guess we'll find out soon enough!

murphy1244 · Oct 20, 2014

If the Snow blower starts It will be a mild winter. If it don't, watch out!

k0ua · Oct 20, 2014

murphy1244 said:
If the Snow blower starts It will be a mild winter. If it don't, watch out!

That is the best one I have heard.:thumbsup: And just as valid as a caterpillar !:laughing:

The Fred · Oct 20, 2014

murphy1244 said:
If the Snow blower starts It will be a mild winter. If it don't, watch out!

Murphy's law, I love it! Last Winter my tractor didn't want to start and it was a nasty Winter.

Regards, Fred

/pine · Oct 20, 2014

I heard the NWS has predicted that there will not be an arctic vortex like last year...FWIW...

It was autumn, and the Indians on the remote reservation asked their
new Chief if the winter was going to be cold or mild.

Since he was an Indian Chief in a modern society, he had never been
taught the old secrets, and when he looked at the sky, he couldn't tell
what theweather was going to be.

Nevertheless, to be on the safe side, he replied to his tribe that the winter was indeed going to be cold and that the members of the village should collect wood to be prepared. But also being a practical leader, after several days he got an idea. He went to the phone booth, called the National Weather Service and asked, "Is the coming winter going to be cold?"

"It looks like this winter is going to be quite cold indeed," the
Meteorologist at the weather service responded.

So the Chief went back to his people and told them to collect even more wood in order to be prepared.

One week later he called the National Weather Service again. "Is it going to be to be a very cold winter."

The Chief again went back to his people and ordered them to collect every scrap of wood they could find.

Two weeks later he called the National Weather Service again. "Are you
absolutely sure that the winter is going to be very cold?"

"Absolutely," the man replied. "It looks like it's going to be one of
the coldest winters ever."

"How can you be so sure?" the Chief asked.

The weatherman replied, "The Indians are collecting firewood like crazy."