This year’s forecast is based on spleen specimens from several locations around the Tompkins, Saskatchewan area. Special thanks go out to the David Wagman Ranch, Clint Cobler farm, Earview Colony, and Stu Christiansen farm. These pigs provided excellent spleens for the ensemble predictions for this year.
The Pig Spleen Weather Prognostication released their 2025 forecast, continuing a cherished tradition. Eleven pig spleens were examined for the 2025 forecast. The preliminary prognostication was completed on December 23, 2024, in Regina, and finalized at the Collier farm south of Gull Lake, Saskatchewan. Unfortunately, a pig spleen social event scheduled for Saturday, November 23 had to be postponed well in advance due to stormy weather.
During the event, several shots of Akvavit were consumed before completing the forecast. It is a time-honored tradition for the group to stand in a circle, make eye contact, cheer "SKOL," drink a shot of Akvavit, make eye contact again, and then complain about the taste of the akvavit.
The tradition of predictions dates back to pagan times in old Sweden, when preparations were being made for the winter. When a pig is slaughtered in the fall, its spleen is set aside for examination. To make a prediction, the spleen is divided into six equal parts, each representing a month from January through June. The theory is that the pig has an innate sense of the upcoming winter, and a skilled prognosticator can look at the spleen of a mature pig and determine what the pig anticipated for the weather. Predictions outside this timeframe are not possible and are only performed by charlatans and politicians.
This year, the spleens provided showed a lot of fat, separated into two parts. The band of fat representing precipitation indicated above-average precipitation in the first part of the winter. The band of fat representing temperature suggested below-normal temperatures from April to June. An anomaly on the spleen late in the forecast, around the end of May or early June, signifies a significant event at that time.
The overall forecast for this winter predicts average temperatures from January to the end of March, with above-average precipitation. From April to June, temperatures will be below average until the end of June, with average precipitation. With the above-average snowfall expected in the first part of the winter, the province should be prepared for some localized flooding when there is a rapid warming in the spring. Large swings in temperature will be common, and there will be rain at unusual times during the winter.
January/February:
January will start off cold until around January 7-8.
It will be a solid month with a warm period at the end, with snow, rain, and fog on January 20 and 28, lingering into February.
While there will be a lot of snow in some parts of the province, the southwest will see the snow slowly disappear into very dry soils that will not be totally frozen.
February will start off mild with rain and snow.
The peak of winter will be at the end of February, but snow will persist into March.
Rain and snow events will occur around February 9 and February 15.
March/April:
March will be an average month, although it might seem colder compared to recent years.
Expect a significant rain and snow event on March 21.
In the southwest part of the province around Maple Creek and Tompkins, the water will disappear quickly.
Although a lot of water is still needed to turn the dry conditions around, this winter will help.
April will be different from March and progressively colder around April 7.
There will be rain around April 20 and April 28, making good moisture for spring seeding.
May/June:
May will remain cool until around May 10, when it will begin to warm up.
Rain is expected on May 20.
June will have more normal temperatures, with a cold and wet spell from June 17-20.
“You are better off to trust Saskatchewan pigs, the window, and luck, for your short-term weather forecasts.”
Respectfully forecasted by PSP Jeff Woodward