![\"Traffic](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/4_winter-weather-snow-road-frost-ice.jpg\")
Met Eireann has said winter hazards cannot be ruled out this year(Image: PA Wire\/PA Images)<\/p>\nIreland is bracing for a cold snap this weekend, and signs from wildlife have left some people wondering if a harsher winter could be on the way.<\/p>\n
10:43, 23 Oct 2025Updated 10:44, 23 Oct 2025<\/p>\n
Met Eireann has said winter hazards cannot be ruled out this year(Image: PA Wire\/PA Images)<\/p>\n
Ireland is bracing for a cold snap this weekend, with weather models predicting temperatures could dip to as low as 1C <\/a>in some areas. While parts of the UK may see snow flurries<\/a>, Met Eireann’s forecast indicates that wintry scenes are unlikely to make an appearance here – at least for now.<\/p>\n As we head deeper into winter, who knows what may come – and some are looking to nature for clues about what lies ahead. Squirrels scrambling and spiders beginning to appear indoors – signs we’ve all seen this year – have long been considered by some as signs of a harsher winter, and this year’s activity may be sounding the alarm for a particularly long and cold season<\/a>.<\/p>\n For centuries, folklore has suggested that the behaviour of wildlife<\/a> can hint at the severity of an upcoming winter. One well-known example is the woolly bear caterpillar, Express<\/a> reports.<\/p>\n Legend has it that the width of the brown band on its back can indicate how mild or harsh the winter will be – a wider brown band supposedly predicts a gentler season. However, experts remain sceptical about relying on a caterpillar to predict the weather<\/a>.<\/p>\n Similarly, squirrels have long been linked to winter predictions. Some people say that squirrels gathering extra grass, leaves and moss or stockpiling nuts may be preparing for a harsher than usual season.<\/p>\n Spiders <\/a>are another creature sometimes linked to winter warnings. Reports of spiders spinning larger webs than usual or appearing in homes in greater numbers during autumn are sometimes linked to colder weather. But in reality, this behaviour is simply part of their life cycle – many species reach maturity in the autumn and males start roaming about in search of mates, which is why we see more of them indoors.<\/p>\n Birds are also said to hint at winter severity. Folklore suggests that unusual migration patterns can signal harsh weather ahead. While birds do have a remarkable ability to sense storms through changes in atmospheric pressure, temperature and humidity, their movements are not reliable indicators of an icy season for Ireland.<\/p>\n Astronomically, winter in Ireland begins on Sunday, December 21 with the winter solstice<\/a>, and runs until the spring equinox on March, 20. By the meteorological calendar, winter starts on December 1 and ends on February 28, or 29 in a leap year.<\/p>\n