Old Farmer's Almanac: Global cooling to continue

DUBLIN, N.H. -- The "Old Farmer's Almanac" is predicting that most of the country will see a colder-than-usual winter while summer and spring will be relatively cool and dry.

The 2011 issue of the almanac was released Tuesday. It maintains its long-term prediction that the Earth is going through a gradual cooling period.

That means, according to the almanac, that much of the eastern half of the U.S. will experience colder temperatures with less snow while Mid-Atlantic states will see more snowfall than usual. The West will see a mild winter with average precipitation.

The 219-year-old New Hampshire-based "Old Farmer's Almanac" and its longtime competitor, the Maine-based "Farmers' Almanac," make annual weather predictions using sunspots, planetary positions and other information.

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