COLORADO, USA — Before we dive into the Farmers' Almanac winter weather outlook, know this: The Farmers' Almanac is about as good at predicting the future as, as much as we love him, John Elway was at drafting Broncos quarterbacks.
The Farmers' Almanac released its prediction for the upcoming winter, and it says that Colorado could be in for a snowy and cold ride. The Almanac puts Colorado in its "hibernation zone" that'll be both "glacial" and "snow-filled."
That forecast clashes strongly with the Climate Prediction Center's forecast for this fall, with Colorado strongly favored to have warmer and drier than usual conditions from September through November.
It also goes against typical La Niña winters, which tend to produce lower-than-average snowfall and warmer-than-average temperatures for Colorado.
Then again, the Farmers' Almanac's forecasting methodology is, well, vague. And that's probably being kind.
"The only person who knows the exact formula is the Farmers’ Almanac weather prognosticator who goes by the pseudonym of Caleb Weatherbee," the Almanac says of its forecasting methodology on its website. "To protect this proprietary formula, the editors of the Farmers’ Almanac prefer to keep both Caleb’s true identity and the formula a closely guarded brand secret."
In other words, have fun with the forecast, but don't actually read into it.
Of course, a snowier-than-average winter would surely be welcomed by most of the state, most of which remains mired in drought following a lower-than-average snow season a year ago.
But don't count on it. As always, your trusted team of 9NEWS meteorologists will keep you up-to-date on the latest (accurate) forecasts and trends.
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