An article in the March 2003 issue of Our State magazine explored the origins of weathercasting folklore, and gave top billing to the woolly worm of the High Country.
Author Jimmy Tomlin of Greensboro did some research and found that much of the mountains' weather folklore has some scientific basis.
Weather expert, Ryan Boyles, from the State Climate Office of North Carolina, and 80-year-old Linville resident, Robert Hartley, both agreed: animal and insect behavior can be a definite give-away to imminent weather patterns.
Hartley told Tomlin, "...the old folks used to say that if you found yellow jackets nesting in the ground, it was a sign of a dry summer, because of course they wouldn't build in the ground for a wet summer."
Boyles' weather folklore exhibit, developed for the NC Museum of Natural Sciences, includes research results on about 25 different sayings.
One example is the belief that a halo seen around the sun or moon indicates upcoming rain or snow. "...that means there are thick, high clouds," Boyle told Tomlin. "Clouds such as that are frequently associated with storms."
Common sense, or scientific fact, weather folklore is a real N.C. mountain institution.
Jim Morton of Grandfather Mountain shared with the author his recollections of learning about mountain folklore as a boy.
Morton said he became fascinated with the subject, especially as it pertained to the woolly worm and, with the help of former Banner Elk Mayor Charles Von Canon, he established the annual Woolly Worm Festival 27 years ago. This year's event occurs on October 16 and 17, 2004.
As we all know, the rest is history.
In a special issue for 2002, Southern Living announced its 202 favorite things about the south, selecting Banner Elk's Woolly Worm Festival as one of the three festivals mentioned.
Although state climatologist Ryan Boyles decidedly disputes the validity of using woolly worm bands to predict an entire winter's weather, local weather forecaster Ray Russell takes it more seriously.
The 5th annual "Forecast Showdown" between Ray and this year's woolly worm race winner runs for 13 weeks, or rounds.
Our wily woolly worm may prove both Ray and Ryan wrong.
Who will win? To stay up to date on the showdown, visit www.woollyworm.com.
As author Jimmy Tomlin found, mountain weather folklore is alive and well. "So, who needs The Weather Channel," he asks, "when you've got...woolly worms?"
