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AN INCONVENIENT SEASON

The Al Gore effect approaches:

Americans shouldn’t expect Mother Nature to help with their heating bills this winter because it’s going to be nippy, according to the venerable Farmers’ Almanac.

After one of the warmest winters on record, this coming winter will be much colder than normal from coast to coast, the almanac predicts.

Via Joe Morris, who has further commentary.

Posted by Tim B. on 08/29/2006 at 01:49 PM

  1. Damn, cold winters followed by mild winters, hot summers followed by mild summers….it’s enough to make you believe in Global Averaging.

    Posted by trainer on 2006 08 29 at 02:14 PM • permalink

  2. A cold winter means I have an excuse for my dad to drive me to the subway station rather than walking to school! Sweet!

    Posted by tiggy on 2006 08 29 at 02:22 PM • permalink

  3. Americans shouldn’t expect Mother Nature to help with their heating bills this winter…

    Thank God for Hugo Chavez.

    The 190 year old publication has correctly predicted climate trends without regard to supposedly changing atmospheric gas ratios “two years in advance using a secret formula based on sunspots, the position of the planets and the tidal action of the moon.”

    What, no sophisticated computer models? Sunspots, planetary alignment and tides—how positively quaint.

    Posted by Kyda Sylvester on 2006 08 29 at 03:14 PM • permalink

  4. Nature balances itself.  Who knew?

    Posted by RebeccaH on 2006 08 29 at 03:51 PM • permalink

  5. It’s the Almanac itself that makes that claim for accuracy. Googling turns up more realistic analysis.

    OTOH, it’s currently 68 and rainy in Chicago, which is normal for the third week in September.

    Posted by JimC on 2006 08 29 at 05:33 PM • permalink

  6. Wow. It’s going to be cold in winter in North America? Noooooo——!

    I just hope some of that cold stuff makes it to Florida. I’ve had it with our wimpy “cold snaps.”

    Posted by Andrea Harris, Administrator on 2006 08 29 at 06:05 PM • permalink

  7. Global Averaging.  I like it. Makes sense.

    As for the Almanac’s predictions:  No matter what it is, it is at least as good as those computer models, and not nearly as hysterical.

    Posted by saltydog on 2006 08 29 at 06:14 PM • permalink

  8. As for the Almanac’s predictions:  No matter what it is, it is at least as good as those computer models, and not nearly as hysterical.

    And as a bonus, the almanac folks don’t pretend to be able to predict the weather 100 years in advance.

    Posted by PW on 2006 08 29 at 06:21 PM • permalink

  9. I do hope this Al Manac guy is right. Last winter it never got cold enough for the grass to stop growing.

    BTW, when’s the next “el nino” due?

    Posted by Grimmy on 2006 08 29 at 06:59 PM • permalink

  10. Grimmy, I thought it was “Al Nino.”  How come all these climate thingies begin with Al?

    Posted by Steve Skubinna on 2006 08 29 at 07:19 PM • permalink

  11. Americans shouldn’t expect Mother Nature to help…

    I knew the heartless bitch was a Republican!

    Posted by Vanguard of the Commentariat on 2006 08 29 at 08:00 PM • permalink

  12. OTOH, it’s currently 68 and rainy in Chicago, which is normal for the third week in September.

    This being the last week in August, I can only assume that wronwright left the keys in the Tardis again.  paco, when are you going to get him trained up?

    Posted by The_Real_JeffS on 2006 08 29 at 09:12 PM • permalink

  13. I read that sentence the same way at first, TRJS, but I think he meant the rainy cold weather is early.

    Posted by RebeccaH on 2006 08 29 at 10:48 PM • permalink

  14. Which is not to say that unauthorized minions aren’t tooling around in the Tardis… unauthorizedly.

    *whistles while stuffing shopping bag out of sight*

    Posted by RebeccaH on 2006 08 29 at 10:51 PM • permalink

  15. “The 190 year-old publication..” Is this some sort of proof of its accuracy, or of people’s credulity over time?
    What did it know about sunspots in 1820, I wonder?
    Let’s stick to science on both sides, please.

    Posted by Barrie on 2006 08 30 at 12:25 AM • permalink

  16. Hello all, thanks for coming to visit!  In answer to 15. Barrie’s question, Galileo discovered sunspots and their cyclical natured was discovered by Schwabe in 1843. Let’s stick to history on both sides, please.

    Posted by joeschmo1of3 on 2006 08 30 at 02:50 AM • permalink

  17. #5 & #12—Well, it was 68 degrees and raining in NYC, at the time of your posts (68 and cloudy, presently), which is about right for some time in October—must be…the weather!

    Quelle surprise!

    Posted by Forbes on 2006 08 30 at 01:43 PM • permalink

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