Weather folklore is a favorite among Almanac readers, and no more so when it comes to the prognostics of the wintery season. Here are some of our favorite proverbs—including Christmas lore!
The weather on Christmas foretells the weather for the coming year.
Green Christmas, white Easter.
If windy on Christmas, trees will bring much fruit.
If there is ice hanging on trees on Christmas day, there will be clover tall enough to cut by Easter.
Three white frosts and next a storm.
Heavy frosts are generally followed by fine, clear weather.
The north wind doth blow, and we shall have snow.
Snow for a se’nnight (week) is a mother to the earth, for ever after a stepmother.
When snow falls in the mud, it remains all winter.
When the first snowflakes are large, the snowstorm will be a lasting one. When they are small, the storm will be a short one.
If snow begins at mid of day, expect a foot of it to lay.
When the snow falls dry, it means to lie. But flakes light and soft bring rain oft.
If the wind blows much on Stephen’s Day (December 26), the grapes will be bad in the next year.
When snow melts off the roof, the next storm will be rain. When the snow blows off, reckon on snow.
The date of the first snow foretells the number of snowstorms for the winter. Should the year’s first snow, for example, come down on the 12th of the month, you can expect 12 more storms before the winter’s done.
For this year’s winter weather forecasts, check out the year’s edition of The Old Farmer’s Almanac!