Did The Woolly Bear Just Predict a Cold, Long New York Winter?

While we're enjoying the crisp fall temperatures, an infamous bug is giving us its prediction for the 2024-2025 winter season.

Who Do You Trust to Predict The Weather?

When it comes to winter weather, we're a passionate bunch. Here in the Hudson Valley, we've experienced every type of winter you could imagine. From freezing cold and tons of snow to 60-degree days with 1 solid snow day.

We've seen it all and usually, we've complained a time or 2 about the winter weather predictions. Come on, admit it. You've said something about your local meteorologist being untrustworthy.

So if you're not going to trust your local weather person, would you trust a bug? According to weather folklore, The Woolly Bear can predict the future winter weather season.

The National Weather Service says according to folklore "The longer the woolly bear's black bands, the longer, colder, snowier, and more severe the winter will be. "

Adding "Similarly, the wider the middle brown band is associated with a milder upcoming winter. " The National Weather Service explains further saying that  "the position of the longest dark bands supposedly indicates which part of winter will be the coldest or hardest."

Did The Woolly Bear Just Predict a Cold, Long NY Winter?

The photo below was taken on Friday, October 4th, 2024 in Poughkeepsie, New York. I found this cute little woolly bear crawling around the radio station.

If we follow the legend of The Woolly Bear predicting winter weather, what does it look like the Hudson Valley is in for this year?

It looks like that front black band is pretty long, well...longer than the brown band and back black band.

Do you trust the woolly bear winter prediction?

Hudson Valley Winter Predictions According To The Old Farmers Almanac

If you're not into believing the lore behind the Woolly Bear, and trust a more notable publication, here's what we gathered from The Old Farmers Almanac for Winter 2024-2025.

The Old Farmers Almanac says while winter is always cold and snowy in our region, they're "predicting a gentler-than-normal season that's not so rough and tough."

They believe that while the coldest period will be "mid-December and late February" the winter temperatures "will be above average overall."

As for snow, the Old Farmers Almanac says "there will be plenty of snow" but "precipitation and snowfall will be slightly below normal (1 to 1.5% below average). The snowiest periods will be in early December, mid-February, and early March."

If I'm following along correctly, it sounds and looks like the Old Farmers Almanac and Woolly Bear are both predicting the same thing for Winter 2024-2025.

Bundle up!