Old Farmer's Almanac Predicts "Mild" and "Wet" Canadian Winter

Southern British Columbia is home to many of Canada’s best-known ski resorts, like Whistler Blackcomb, Fernie, and Revelstoke. The region, like much of the country, is in for warmer-than-average conditions, the Old Farmer’s Almanac says. The publication’s forecasters also call for below-average snowfall there, noting that the snowiest months will be in November and December. 

Conditions look similar in another Canadian ski resort hotspot—southern Quebec—where the Old Farmer’s Almanac is forecasting above average temperatures, above average precipitation, and below average snowfall. The slopes of Mont Tremblant or Ski Bromont, then, might see fewer flakers than usual. 

Where is the snow supposed to stack up? Atlantic Canada, for one, is set for above-average snowfall, perhaps benefiting Cape Smokey, the unique ski area on Cape Breton Island. Ontario, too, falls under the “mild, snowy” banner, but according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, “mixed events” could cause rain and result in lower snowfall totals in the southern part of the province. 

This is still winter we’re talking about, though. The Old Farmer’s Almanac advised Canadians that even a mild winter “brings snowy stretches and cold snaps. Layer up, plan ahead, and keep your shovel handy!” 

Like its competitor, the Farmers’ Almanac, the Old Farmer’s Almanac focuses on broad seasonal trends rather than specific weather events.

It’s also famously tight-lipped about the exact forecasting process it uses. The predictions are derived from a secret formula crafted by the publication’s founder in 1792.

But the Old Farmer’s Almanac does share a few key techniques it uses: solar science (tracking sunspot cycles and solar output), climatology, and meteorology. 

According to the publication, it's accurate in guessing long-range seasonal trends about 80% of the time. Is that good enough to start celebrating or despairing months before the ski season arrives? Up to you. 

If you really want to know when and where the snow will fall, though, you’ll need to rely on more precise short-range forecasts.