White Christmas On Way For NY, Almanacs Predict

A white Christmas might not be too much of a pipe dream this year. Early forecasts from the two most famous long-range weather predictors are in agreement - the holiday season is going to be snowy.

The Farmers' Almanac and the Old Farmer's Almanac - yes, they're two separate organizations – both see snow hitting the northeast from December 24 through the end of the month.

"Mild air overruns cold air producing widespread wintry precipitation in time for Christmas," predicts the Farmers' Almanac, while the Old Farmer's Almanac agrees: "Snow showers, cold."

The Old Farmer's Almanac has been forecasting the weather since 1792 and was founded by Robert B. Thomas who lived in Maine. The Farmers' Almanac was founded In New Hampshire by David Young in 1818.

Both use secret formulas to predict the weather that they keep closely guarded.

For more traditionally scientific forecasters – such as the government's National Weather Service – accurate predictions can't be made nearly a month in advance.

Though the almanacs both agree on Christmas, they have opposing views on what the winter has in store.

The Old Farmer's Almanac expects a warm, wet winter with less snow than normal, while the Farmers' Almanac is predicting bitter cold and a lot of snow.

(Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)