Mild Winter Ahead?

The Northeast may have a mild winter in store if one weather prediction method used by Old Farmer's Almanac holds true. The woolly bear caterpillar (known for their transformation inside a cocoon to a full-grown moth) is composed of 13 segments; black on either end with a reddish-brown center. The hypothesis states that more black segments suggest a harsher winter. Studies show that when the average of black segments rises above 5 - this is the tipping point to a longer and colder winter.

Whether or not this methodology holds true I cannot say for certain, but I know colder days are ahead. My winter jacket is already hanging by the front door, directly above my Bean boots. My shovel is standing desolate in the entry way. The first snowfall has already made its way to the mountains and far Northern Maine.

My suggestion:  Keep an armload of firewood by the stove to cut the chills of early mornings and always keep a good book on the coffee table for snowed-in afternoons.

Below are photos from a local hike this weekend and evidence of a mild winter to come.