Iowa’s in the midst of what may be the year’s final heat wave of 90-plus-degree days, so it could be refreshing for some of us to think about the promise of the cooler weather that’s still a few months away. Tim Goodwin is senior editor of The Old Farmer’s Almanac which just released its 2027 edition this week. Goodwin says the winter ahead will be mild and wet for the Heartland segment, which includes all of Iowa and parts of seven other states.
The forecast team uses the past 20 years of weather data to make the long-range forecasts for the year ahead, and he says they have a year-over-year accuracy rate of about 80-percent. Even with the Almanac’s winter forecast calling for above normal temperatures, Goodwin says it’s Iowa — and we can expect plenty of icy, frigid days and nights filled with falling flakes.
While there will likely be snow into March, the Almanac is predicting an early spring for Iowa, and a steamy summer beyond that.
The Old Farmer’s Almanac remains the oldest continuously published periodical in North America at 235 years, as Goodwin touts it was first published in 1792 during George Washington’s first term as president. Besides long-term weather predictions, it also contains a wealth of information on gardening, cooking, home remedies, folklore, managing your household, living in harmony with nature, and more.
