{"id":20406,"date":"2020-10-27T15:25:21","date_gmt":"2020-10-27T14:25:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lesgets.com\/?p=20406"},"modified":"2022-11-07T12:14:25","modified_gmt":"2022-11-07T11:14:25","slug":"10-clues-that-were-in-for-a-white-winter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lesgets.com\/nl\/blog\/10-clues-that-were-in-for-a-white-winter\/","title":{"rendered":"10 clues that we’re in for a white winter"},"content":{"rendered":"

Our elders never had a weather app. Their snowfall predictions were based on the scrupulous observation of nature – height of the gentians, behaviour of the bees and robins, and so on…<\/p>\n

Old mountain wives\u2019 tales or reliable indicators ? Here are ten of nature\u2019s clues to look out for if you want to find out before everyone else if the snow will be good next winter.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

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1. Tall Gentians \ud83c\udf37<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n

The yellow Gentian seen in the Alps is a hardy perennial that can live for up to 50 years. So it has seen quite a few winters!<\/p>\n

This true barometer has been considered for ages as one of nature\u2019s best indicators of how much snowfall to expect. From a scientific angle, its height allows its flowers to remain above the surface and also helps it to reproduce by facilitating the spreading of its seeds. QED.<\/p>\n

So fans of the white powder can now morph into botany experts and spend the summer monitoring the growth of the Gentians and dreaming, as it happens, of the \u201cGentianes\u201d slope they’ll be hurtling down next winter.<\/p>\n\n

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2. Wasps in abundance in summer \ud83d\udc1d<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n

Old scout\u2019s honour, the more wasps you see during the hottest months of the year, the harsher the winter to come! Others rely on the height of the wasps\u2019 nests; the taller the nest, the deeper the snow. Tangible proof? Not so sure. Only queen wasps last that long, the rest die before winter arrives.<\/p>\n

All the same, a wasp sting or two during the summer is a small price to pay for a few extra metres of winter powder!<\/p>\n\n

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3. Magpies, robins and mice taking refuge in barns \ud83d\udc00<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n

No doubt about it, snow is on the way! This might make you smile, but never forget that animals are much more sensitive than humans to changes in atmospheric pressure.<\/p>\n\n

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4. Onions with more layers of peel \ud83e\uddc5<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n

You cry more when peeling onions ? Don’t you worry, many people think it\u2019s a sign that a harsh winter is on its way. Here again, it\u2019s just nature\u2019s way of preparing for an unusually tough season. In fact, legend has it that each layer of onion peel represents a month of snow. (All the same, don\u2019t panic if you count 12 layers! )<\/p>\n\n

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5. Abundant rowan berries, plums, walnuts and hazelnuts \ud83c\udf30<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n

Perhaps nature\u2019s generous gift to squirrels who will need greater stores to survive a harsh winter ? This is another of our elders\u2019 favourite clues and one which demonstrates once again that animals and vegetation are indeed among the best predictors of bad weather.<\/p>\n\n

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6. An August craving for fondue or tartiflette \ud83e\uddc0<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n\n