I took my traditional after-work-walk Monday morning. There are always a ton of squirrels on my route. I noticed their tails are whiter and fluffier than usual. Plus, several of the critters were greedily and ferociously grabbing what they could from a chestnut tree.
I'm not one of those people who studies wooly bear caterpillars for a long range forecast. In fact, I really don't believe long range outlooks. They are, at best, a guess. Most of the ones I've seen in recent years call for a 50/50 shot of warmer or colder than normal. It's your tax dollars at work.
A volcanic eruption, a solar flare or two, and a warm spot in the Pacific can change things quite a bit. Even a ten day outlook is a stretch, and I apologize to my forecasting co-workers.
Yet, I do believe the squirrels. They know. Make sure there's plenty of coal in the bin. I fear we're in for a tough winter.
