WNC woolly worm forecast calls for cold, snowy winter

Time to start pulling your woolly coats out of the closet.

The winner of the 37th Annual Woolly Worm Festival Saturday in Banner Elk is predicting a cold and snowy winter for the region.

Kwazimodo the woolly worm captured first place in Saturday's races -- and the honor of predicting the forecast for the coming winter.

Experts examined Kwazimodo's 13 fuzzy brown and black band to determine the severity of the season. It is believed that the more intense the black is, the harsher the winter will be. Kwazimodo was coached by Vince Weyman, a ninth grade student from Graham, through a series of worm races Saturday.

Here's the prediction:

Weeks 1-4 (December 21-January 17) - Snowy with below normal temperatures
Week 5 (January 18-24) - Light snow with below normal temperatures
Weeks 6-10 (January 25-February 28) - Below average temperatures with little or no snow
Week 11 (March 1-7) - Moderate snow and below normal temperatures
Weeks 12-13 (March 8-21) - Snowy with below normal temperatures

Kwazimodo's prediction falls in line with what human forecasters are saying.

Ray's Weather Center, a localized weather source based in Boone and covering Western North Carolina, in releasing its annual Fearless Winter Forecast on Friday predicted overall cold temperatures and above-average snowfall – to the tune of 18 inches in Asheville. The city averages about 12 inches per winter.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Climate Prediction Center, in its winter forecast released Thursday, also predicted cooler-than-average temperatures and above-average precipitation, though without being specific about snowfall.

While other factors are involved, both forecasts are based largely on the likelihood that an El Nino pattern will set up by the end of the year. El Nino, a periodic warming of tropical Pacific waters, can affect weather around the world, generally bringing cooler, wetter weather to the Southeast.