From the InBox.

Unseasonably cold, snowy winter -- meaning colder and snowier than usual -- predicted in the north-central Midwest. Chicago expected to get hit with major snowfall:

“The brunt of the winter season, especially when dealing with cold, will be over the north-central U.S.,” said Paul Pastelok, a senior meteorologist and leader of the AccuWeather.com Long-Range Forecasting Team.

AccuWeather forecasts 50 to 58 inches of snow for Chicago, in line with the 56 inches we got last season. But snowfall during a normal winter is closer to 30.2 inches.

And temperatures will be 2 to 3 degrees below normal, also in line with last winter, when it was 2.4 degrees below normal.

However, Pastelok said snowfalls will be more frequent and less heavy — at least early in the season — and will be followed by intense overnight cold snaps.
...
Pastelok’s advice? Don’t wait to break out the cold-weather gear.

“I think we get a nice warm six to 10 days going on here in October, everyone’s spoiled and then all of a sudden, boom, it turns around. Especially mid-November. I think we start getting cold fast,” he said.

So perhaps, the woolly caterpillars I've been noticing in the gardens, and the tremendous acorn output is indeed apt. We shall see, eh?

Hat tip: Mom.

--------------
ADDED: And once again, happy birthday Norm. 96 -- woo hoo!