How much snow? This Japanese Elm in Kentucky predicts almost 50 inches of snow this winter

Kirby Adams, Louisville Courier Journal
·2 min read

Dick Frymire of Irvington, Kentucky, has used a Japanese Elm tree, and a special "secret formula" built around it, to predict winter weather for the coming year. His forecasts gained worldwide recognition and he was featured on some national television shows including "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson."

Frymire died in 2013, but his family has continued his storied and fun winter weather tradition. After all, only they were handed down the secret formula used to read the Japanese Elm tree.

According to the Frymire family, you better get your shovels ready for the 2021-22 winter season, as it forecasts the possibility of a major storm in January, with 10 inches of snow predicted for Jan. 10, another 16 inches on Jan. 17, and 7 inches on Jan. 28.

Whew!

Frymire Weather Service 2021-22.
Frymire Weather Service 2021-22.

"We hope that this forecast continues to bring smiles and create fun banter over everyone's winter weather favorite: snow," Brianne Oliver, Dick Frymire's granddaughter, previously told The Courier Journal by email.

More: Bundle up, Louisville. What woolly worms, walnuts, squirrels predict for winter this year

Here is what else the Frymire Weather Service month-by-month winter 2021-22 forecast predicts, which is provided in loving memory of Dick Frymire, Barnyard Scientist:

  • Nov. 3-8: cold, snow flurries

  • Nov. 15: rain turns to wet snow

  • Nov. 22: flurries, cold 29 degrees

  • Nov. 29: warm

  • Dec. 3: rain and 1-inch of snow

  • Dec. 7: warm

  • Dec. 12: cold and 2 inches of snow

  • Dec. 17: cold, 22 degrees and 4 inches of snow

  • Dec. 22: snow showers early and cold lasts for eight days

  • Jan. 1-6: bitter cold, 11 degrees

  • Jan. 10: 10 inches of snow over two days

  • Jan. 17: snowstorm with 16 inches of snow

  • Jan. 28: 7 inches of snow

  • Feb. 8: 19 degrees and 5 inches of snow

  • Feb. 17: 45 degrees

  • Feb. 24: 2 inches of wet snow

  • March 13: wet snow and rain

  • March 24: rain and snow, 34 degrees

Reach Kirby Adams at kadams@courier-journal.com or Twitter @kirbylouisville.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Frymire Weather predictions 2021-22: Winter weather guess for Kentucky