The Farmer’s Almanac is calling for mountains of snow—just not on the West Coast.
This year’s Canadian edition of The Old Farmer’s Almanac is back, and the forecast might not be what readers are hoping for this ski season.
By the Almanac’s prediction, B.C. is in for a cold and dry winter season, with heaps of snow making its way over to Manitoba and Ontario, instead. B.C.’s lower half could see colder-than-average temperatures, with the chilliest periods coming in December and January. Snowfall is expected to be below average, with late November, early December, early January, early to mid-March and early March said to be the snowiest times.
Come summer, it’s expected B.C.’s lower half could see a cool and rainy season, which will help gardeners grow seasonal feasts.
The Almanac’s website notes they predict the weather using three scientific disciplines. The first is solar science by examining sunspots that cause magnetic storms, the second is climatology, which looks at weather patterns, and the third is meteorology, which studies the atmosphere and is what short-term weather forecasters do.
“We predict weather trends and events by comparing solar patterns and historical weather conditions with current solar activity. We’re looking at 'normals' or 'averages' over decades, not just how the weather compared to last year. For the 2024–25 winter season, our forecasts are based on the latest period, 1991 through 2020,” the Almanac's website notes.
Tim Goodwin is the associate editor for The Old Farmer’s Almanac, Canadian Edition, and he said the currently predicted weather is from data from Environment Canada from 1981 to 2010. Once Environment Canada updates the historical data to include weather up to 2020, they will use that data.
“It'll show a few more patterns of what was happening in more recent decades. But we've adjusted our temperature predictions to be warmer, but it’s definitely not uniform,” Goodwin explained when asked how a warming climate factors into the predictions.
The Almanac has published continuously since 1792, and Goodwin said it is the oldest continually published periodical in North America.
“Haven't missed a year since 1792, so I like to think of the old Farmers Almanac as this link to the past and the beginning,” he said, highlighting aspects of the book like sections teaching you to garden using the moon.
“Of course, we have to stay relevant. We have to stay new and exciting and interesting," he added. "So, it's a process when it comes to choosing what features go in every year."
Stories in the book come from staff editorial meetings, where they pitch articles writers are passionate about and core topics the book is known for.
One story readers can look forward to is about tomatoes, but Goodwin said the piece takes a different angle and provides readers with new information they need to know.
Another piece by Goodwin is about hugging, an act that can easily be taken for granted, but suddenly was no longer an option during the COVID-19 pandemic.
While he does encourage people to buy the Almanac, which is available in many stores, for Goodwin, it’s about passing down generational knowledge.
“People are introduced to it at a young age and then they become familiar with it," he said. "As they grow older, they pass it down to their kids and their grandkids. So, it's got that feel of nostalgia.”
The Almanac isn’t just about the weather, though, and there’s much to learn inside the yellow cover.
Astronomy lovers will get details about eclipses in 2025, two solar and two lunar, along with explanations, dates and visibility locations. There are puzzles, jokes, holiday recipes and more. Ever wanted to have a backyard chicken coop, or want to learn about cat behaviour? The Almanac has you covered.
