In recent weeks I have overheard folks discuss the Old Farmer’s Almanac and its weather predictions for this winter.

To paraphrase Rhett Butler, “I don’t give a hoot!” I don’t place much stock in long-term weather forecasts. Meteorologists of my acquaintance tell me a three-day forecast is the most accurate forecast they can generate. Predictions beyond that are less accurate.

Other than weather trends, El Niño and La Niña and wooly worms, those full season forecasts can as easily be right-on or right-off.

That said, my long-term weather forecasts might be as accurate as any other. Here, then, are my Big Ol’ Country Boy’s forecasts for the winter ahead.

NORTHWEST IOWA — This winter will be cold and snowy in Northwest Iowa. I should know; I lived in Northwest Iowa for 14 years and every winter I remember was cold and snowy.

The earliest blizzard I can remember in the Sioux City area was early November in the late ’70s. The ground was white until spring.

For a short time in 1960 my family lived in Sibley, which is 75 miles north/northeast of Sioux City and about five miles south of the Minnesota state line. Sibley is a lovely county-seat community but it does get cold there. Many mornings it was the coldest spot in northwest Iowa.

NORTH-CENTRAL IOWA –This winter will be cold and snowy in North-Central Iowa. I grew up in this part of the state and every winter I remember was cold and snowy.

The last winter we lived on a farm my room was on the second floor, in the northwest corner and the room did not have storm windows. I remember wearing flannel pajamas and sleeping under a heavy load of quilts.

In the morning I did not have to make my bed. Between the pajamas and quilts I could not move. But, oh, did I sleep well.

NORTHEAST IOWA — This winter will be cold and snowy in Northeast Iowa. I did not grow up in this part of the state but every winter I remember Northeast Iowa was cold and snowy.

CENTRAL IOWA — This winter will be cold and snowy in Central Iowa. I have lived in Central Iowa for most of the past 23 years and every winter I remember has been cold and snowy.

Nearly 20 years ago Cindy and I went to Florida in March and enjoyed the warm temperatures and sunshine. On our way home we were somewhere in Alabama when my son called and told us Central Iowa was expecting a foot of snow that night. I darn near turned around and went back to Florida but I remembered how much I enjoy eating. I had a job back in Iowa so we drove home.

SOUTHEAST IOWA — This winter will be cold and snowy in Southeast Iowa. I did not grow up in this part of the state but every winter I remember Southeast Iowa was cold and snowy.

SOUTHWEST IOWA — This winter will be cold and snowy in Southwest Iowa. I did not grow up in this part of the state but I did live here for 12 years and every winter I remember was cold and snowy.

When we moved to Creston in 1988 I was looking forward to more moderate winters. While it may have been a few degrees milder than the rest of the state, cold is cold and snow is snow.

One of my Creston neighbors teased that the 5-horsepower, 2-stage snowblower I brought from Sioux City was overkill. A few weeks later we had a major snow storm and received so much snow his little 2-cycle, single-stage snowblower was virtually useless. As a good neighbor my monster snowblower and I cleaned his driveway in short order.

An elementary school principal friend in Creston told me that when he retired he was going to load his snowblower in his pick-up truck and head south. The first stop where someone asked about that strange machine in his pickup, that’s where he was going to retire.

Save yourself some dough. I’m sure my Big Ol’ Country Boy’s forecasts for this winter are just as accurate as the Old Farmer’s Almanac.

My forecast: This winter will be cold and snowy in Iowa. I have lived here for 75 years and every winter I remember in Iowa was cold and snowy.

Arvid Huisman can be contacted at huismaniowa@gmail.com. ©2023 by Huisman Communications.