September Forecasting

Whether by pure speculation or by scientific means we all wish to forecast the weather for purposes of being prepared. “Forewarned is forearmed” as it is said.

I like to check in the the Farmers Almanac, and sometimes I remember to check their accuracy later and sometimes I don’t. I suppose you could say that means I don’t take it seriously enough, but that is likely the effect of modern life which makes such things peripheral, when it used to be a matter of much more import.

I should also take this time to alert you that I will be on short hiatus during late September to the first week in October.

September 17, 19, 20—Ember Days

Folklore has it that the weather on each of these three days foretells the weather for three successive months; that is, Wednesday, September 17, forecasts the weather for October; Friday, September 19, for November; and Saturday, September 20, for December.

The forecast from the Old Farmers Almanac for Sept. in our area (lower Great Lakes) is:
September 2009
Avg. Temperature: 62° (1° below avg.)
Precipitation: 2″ (1.5″ below avg.)
Sep. 1-3: Scattered t-storms, hot
Sep. 4-9: Sunny, cool
Sep. 10-16: Scattered t-storms, warm
Sep. 17-24: Showers, then sunny, cool
Sep. 25-27: T-storms, then sunny
Sep. 28-30: Showers, chilly

Well, We shall see.

===updated to add====

…and for those wondering about the winter ahead, CNN quotes the Farmers Almanac as saying:
“Old Man Winter is really going to hammer folks in the Midwest and upper Great Lakes region with very cold and very snowy conditions.”