The news record . ? SERVING THE PEOPLE OF MADISON COUNTY PUBLISHED WEEKLY IN THE COUNTY SEAT AT MARSHALL. N C. THURSDAY, October 24, 1978 " ft.C. J8TSS A Harsh Winter ? Even Woolly Worms Seem Confused On The Issue By ANN PAYLOK Wooly worma, August fogs and corn shucks may not seem to have much in common, but they're all clues in trying to second guess Mother Nature on what kind of weather to expect this winter. Forecasts differ widely, depending on what signs you go by and who's doing the predicting. There's something for just about everybody, from cold weather with lots of snow to fairly mild temperatures. "Everything I've heard has been for an extremely cold winter, except one person who predicts a mild one," Mrs. Bennett Hipps Mid. "The one who says it's going to be mild said so because she hadn't seen many woolly worms ? I hope she's right." Woolly worms are the old mountain stand-by when it comes to winter forecasting. The darker the worm, the colder the weather. Lighter stripes on the worms indicate milder spells, so you can look forward to some relief during the winter. That's simple enough, but when you start finding blond, brunette and redhead wolly worms crawling side by side, things become a bit more complex. That's when corn shucks, treea and rabbit skins can be helpful in removing doubts. "I think we're in for another pretty rough winter, ac cording to the foliage on the timber," Andy Worley said. "I'm no weather prodigy, and I hope I'm right smart off, but I wouldn't be surprised if it's as bad as last year. "All I know for a fellow to do is put on his long handles," he added. Thicker fur on rabbits, thicker bark on trees and thicker shucks on corn are all signs that a cold winter's coming on, Mrs. Hipps said. "And, they say that when squirrels start storing up nuts earlier, it's going to be cold. They started early this year." Balsam can expect 14 snows this winter, according to Mrs. J. Russell Wood's count of August fogs. Most of the fogs were light, she said, which should mean fairly light snowi. "I hope we have a lot of snow," Beaverdam resident S B Miller said. "That'U help build our water back up." Miller said he's not much of a forecaster, "but I do look for a cold winter. It's been too hot and dry this summer, and they say one extreme follows another. "If I was a little older, I'd know something about it," the 82-year-old Miller said. "You have to be K before you know anything." The Long Range Prediction Groupof the National Weather Service may not reiy on K y ear-olds or woolly worms, but they do come np with aome general guidelines for the coming months. "We haven't made our winter prediction yet," climate analysis center chief Donald Oilman said, "but October through December temperatures should be milder than normal." The statistical relationships between the seasons, along ( Continued on Page 2 ) m READING WOOLLY WORMS is an art Jane Williamson practices every fall. Dark worms mean cold winters, but nobody's figured out what kind of weather we'll have when dark and light worms ? and all shades in between ? crawl around together. Mars Hill College Church Leadership Workshop Saturday A church leadership workshop, aimed at the leaders of smaller churches in Western North Carolina, will tie sponsored at Mars Hill College by the school's music department and the Center for Christian Education - Ministries. Scheduled this Saturday, registration will begin at 10 a.m. in the Center for Christian Education Ministries located in the basement of Bridges Turn Clocks Back Saturday The public is reminded to turn clocks BACK one hour before retiring this Saturday **hL Commissioners Postpone Meeting