Des Moines, IA- The new edition of the Farmer’s Almanac is predicting a “Wet Winter Whirlwind” for Iowa.
Radio Iowa reports that Almanac Editor Sandi Duncan says the forecast for what lies ahead is under the headline “Wet Winter Whirlwind,” and predicts that Iowa and the rest of the Great Plains states will be facing lower than normal temperatures.
“We do see a lot of cold, not freezing cold, it’s going to be overall cold,” Duncan says. “We do see a stormy start to winter in December. January doesn’t look too bad, but then the snow and the wetness and the whirlwind really comes in February in your neck of the woods, with some major storms coming at the beginning as well as the end of the month of February.”
Since 1918, the almanac has been using a proprietary formula to forecast the weather, based on historical and celestial factors.
In addition to the cold, Duncan says they’re calling for an Iowa winter with average snowfall.
“The whirlwind comes from the idea that looking at both December and February, we do see some back-to-back storms with both snow, rain, sleet, you know, the fun stuff,” Duncan says, “but definitely some snow in February, but nothing too major. Overall, it doesn’t look too bad as far as precipitation goes, but you just expect some snowy days.”
The almanac contains 16 months of weather forecasts, including the summer of 2025. In recent months, Iowa has emerged from a four-year drought, and the almanac predicts the heat will be back on a year from now.
“We do see scorching temperatures with average rainfall, so hopefully, you won’t have to go into some type of drought, especially with the kind of wet seasons before that,” Duncan says. “It looks like average rainfall for next summer and hopefully you won’t get back into any type of drought conditions, since you guys need a little break, for sure.”
Iowa’s had a rough spring and summer, with widespread flooding in many areas that followed severe storms, along with a record 130 tornadoes.
Some point to climate change as a root cause, and Duncan says you’d have to be blind to say the climate isn’t changing.
“Definitely there’s something going on and things are changing, so we are trying to adapt to the ever-changing environment that we all live in,” Duncan says. “I would say that, unfortunately, this change that’s going on is bringing some more extreme weather, so we’re trying to adjust as we can and try to give people an idea of what may come so they can be prepared.”
The almanac boasts a forecast accuracy rate of 80% to 85%.
Besides long-term weather predictions, the Farmers’ Almanac also contains a wealth of information on gardening, cooking, home remedies, folklore, managing your household, living in harmony with nature, and more.
