The Cat Tracker Snowfall Formula

We haven't had any measurable snow in the Janesville area this season. Does that mean it's going to be a short winter, or is Mother Nature saving up to smack us with a lot of snow later? The answer depends on when that first snow finally comes... and the Cat Tracker Snow Prediction Formula.

In years past, both the Janesville Gazette and the Beloit Daily News have written articles regarding the cat tracker. Even though both stories interviewed different people, both credit the origin of the formula back to Brodhead, Wisconsin. And they agree on the actual formula.

What you'll need to calculate your cat tracker forecast is the date of the last new moon and the day of the month when the first snow fell deep enough for a cat to leave footprints in it.

Once you have those two things, the formula is simple:
What day of the month is it? How many days since the last new moon? Add the two numbers together, and that's how many times it'll snow this season.

Of course, the answer to the cat tracker will vary according to geographic area and who got how much snow and when. News 3 meteorologist, Gary Cannalte, says the Madison area has already had a cat tracker snow. So, the number of snows in Madison will vary from the number of snows in Janesville this year.

There you go!
When we get that first cat tracker snow, grab your calculator, and start counting!