From oddly shaped persimmon seeds to taller than normal ant hills, there are plenty of old wives’ tales said to signal winter weather is on the horizon.
But how reliable is this lore? And should North Carolinians hold out hope for snow?
The Charlotte Observer spoke with a few experts to debunk these myths as we head into the colder months.
Here’s what winter weather lovers should know.
Old wives’ tales predicting snow
There’s no shortage of old wives’ tales claiming to predict wintry weather. These are just a few from The Old Farmer’s Almanac you may have heard of:
- Nuts and berries: A heavy drop of acorns means a cold winter is coming. Likewise, a heavy crop of walnuts and/or berries signal a cold, snowy winter. Bundle up!
- Persimmon seeds: The seeds of the petite orange fruits are said to have clues about the weather. If the kernel is spoon-shaped, expect plenty of snow. Fork-shaped seeds predict mild winters with light snow, while knife-shaped seeds means prep for icy winds that will “cut like a blade,” The Old Farmer’s Almanac says.
- Thunder in winter: It’s been believed that if it thunders in winter, expect snow seven days later.
- Squirrels: Old folklore says if squirrels stash their nuts high up in the trees, the snow will be deep.
- Wild turkeys: Birds have also been used to predict winter weather. In the case of turkeys, perching in the trees could signal snowfall, folklore says.
- Hornets and ant hills: There’s an old wives’ tale that says,“As high as the hornets build their nests, so will the snow be next winter,” according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac. High ant hills are also said to predict snowy winters.
- Mushrooms: Mushrooms galore means “much snow in store,” the almanac says. What if there are no mushrooms at all? Don’t expect any snow to fall, folklore says.
Are these tall tales reliable for forecasting snowy weather?
Weather folklore is fun, but is there any truth to them?…