{"version":"1.0","provider_name":"The News Journal","provider_url":"https:\/\/qa.thenewsjournal.net","title":"Predicting Winter &ndash; The News Journal","type":"rich","width":600,"height":338,"html":"<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"nExziig5vW\"><a href=\"https:\/\/qa.thenewsjournal.net\/predicting-winter\/\">Predicting Winter<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" src=\"https:\/\/qa.thenewsjournal.net\/predicting-winter\/embed\/#?secret=nExziig5vW\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" title=\"&#8220;Predicting Winter&#8221; &#8212; The News Journal\" data-secret=\"nExziig5vW\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\"><\/iframe><script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n\/* <![CDATA[ *\/\n\/*! This file is auto-generated *\/\n!function(d,l){\"use strict\";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&\"undefined\"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!\/[^a-zA-Z0-9]\/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),c=new RegExp(\"^https?:$\",\"i\"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display=\"none\";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute(\"style\"),\"height\"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):\"link\"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute(\"src\")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener(\"message\",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll(\"iframe.wp-embedded-content\"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute(\"data-secret\"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+=\"#?secret=\"+t,e.setAttribute(\"data-secret\",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:\"ready\",secret:t},\"*\")},!1)))}(window,document);\n\/* ]]> *\/\n<\/script>\n","thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/qa.thenewsjournal.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/JenniferPerkins.jpg","thumbnail_width":220,"thumbnail_height":220,"description":"What do woolly worms, the fogs in August and persimmons all have in common?\u00a0 They are subjects of folklore tales used to predict the upcoming winter.\u00a0 While folklore tales differ as they are told, they are all rooted in a similar truth.\u00a0 Tales of woolly worms, also known as woolly bears, began in 1948 when Dr. Howard C. Curran, a curator of insects at the American Museum of Natural History decided to study the catepillars and found that many of his test subjects had wide orange bands, according to Farmers\u2019 Almanac. The bands correlated to a milder-than-average winter.\u00a0 Curran allegedly relayed his findings to a reporter, and his findings were published in the New York Herald Tribune.\u00a0 While many believe that an all-black woolly worm is a predictor for a harsh winter, the Farmers\u2019 Almanac warns against the assumption because the color indicates that the worm is not the particular species of caterpillar that can be used to make predictions.\u00a0 If you see a woolly worm, here is what it can tell you:\u00a0 A woolly worm with a thin orange stripe indicates a snowy winter; if it has a wide orange stripe, it means that the winter will be mild. If it looks fuzzier than normal, it can be an indicator for a cold winter to come.\u00a0 While the tale behind fogs in August is unclear, it is considered by many to be a natural predictor of winter snows. The folklore goes: for every fog in August, there will be a snowfall.\u00a0 A light fog may mean a light snow, but a heavy fog may indicate a heavier snow.\u00a0 According to the Farmers\u2019 Almanac, the tale about fogs in August, like many weather prediction methods, is rooted in careful observations.\u00a0 One last method of predicting the winter to come may be more difficult to use locally.\u00a0 The shape inside persimmon seeds, called a cotyledon, has been used to forecast the upcoming weather.\u00a0 According to the Farmers\u2019 Almanac, a fork shape may mean a mild winter, but a spoon shape may mean there will be a lot of snow. A knife shaped cotyledon can indicate a \u2018cut like a knife,\u2019 cold winter. The trick to the persimmon\u2019s folklore is the persimmon must be grown locally if it is to be used as a forecasting tool.\u00a0 Persimmons purchased at major chain or retail stores are often not grown locally.\u00a0 So many different tales exist to help predict the upcoming season. With fall officially here, my family and I have begun our official count of woolly worms (we are at three thin orange band worms) and reminiscing on the fogs of August.\u00a0 Let me know what other tales of winter predictors you grew up with as the season approaches!"}