The 2026 Farmers' Almanac is here and they're predicting a "Chill, Snow, Repeat" winter for Pittsburgh area
It's that time of year once again, the 2026 Farmers' Almanac is here, and it includes its much-read weather predictions.
So, what does the almanac say the Pittsburgh area can expect this winter, and how accurate is it, really?
First and foremost, the almanac said it's not out to replace meteorologists, and despite climate change and everything else, they are out there with predictions 6-12 months ahead.
This year, they're calling the upcoming winter "Chill, snow, repeat."
How much snow will we get this winter?
The almanac says we will see our first snow right around December 1.
"It's going to be a wild ride," said Sandi Duncan, editor of the almanac. "It's going to be that chill, snow, repeat. It's going to cool down, it's going to snow, and then unfortunately, when we want it to thaw out, it's going to happen again."
Also, unfortunately, we likely won't have a White Christmas, but we should be prepared for mid-January.
"I would circle January 16-19," Duncan said. "Right before that, it's going to get quite cold from the 8th, 11th, and then 16th and 19th. We're calling for the cold to blow in some snowy conditions."
That's far from it. Duncan said in the middle of February, we're in for some cold conditions.
Is the Farmers' Almanac accurate?
Duncan said that you don't have to wait for word out of Punxutawney.
"We don't deal with Phil," she said. "But, according to the almanac, we're not predicting an early spring."
Hurricanes, blizzards, flooding, wind-whipped fires, the prediction business has changed over time, but the almanac is far from packing it in.
"We've looked at our formula, we've tried to fine-tune it a little bit, because there are things that are causing it to be harder and harder, even for people who do day-to-day forecasting, but I think it's a tradition, and we have to keep it up," said Duncan.
Duncan said they don't track it, but those who do claim it is 80% accurate.
"I think people give us a little more leeway because we're doing so much weather so far in advance, and for such broad regions," she said.
What else does the Farmers' Almanac predict?
There's a section about things you never knew you wanted to know! It includes eggs, home remedies to keep your breath fresh, and how raindrops come in various sizes from small to extra large.
"If you drop a fork, a female visitor is coming, but if you drop a knife, a male visitor is coming," said Duncan.
Duncan also cited ways to keep flies out of your home, saying that if you use something pine-scented, "that smell, flies don't really like, so it will help keep them away."
In conclusion, this isn't just something fun; they take it seriously. They take pride in forecasting far beyond any forecaster or mobile app. They also know that brides and big event planners come to them for insight into special days they may be planning, so they do not take that trust lightly.