Renowned for its long-range weather predictions, consulted for helpful gardening information, and long sought after for its down-home, nostalgic appeal, the Farmers’ Almanac once again releases a new edition that’s guaranteed to get people talking. Not only does the 2002 Farmers’ Almanac, which hit the store shelves on August 28, contain a prediction for another active, snowy winter, especially in the Northeast, but it also came up with a “top 10” list of best and worst cities for weather.

     2002 Farmers’ Almanac editors Peter Geiger, Sondra Duncan and Almanac weather prognosticator Caleb Weatherbee revealed their picks for the top 10 BEST and WORST weather localities in the U.S. Admitting that such a list is “highly subjective,” Geiger reports the list was developed after taking many factors into consideration, including cloud coverage, precipitation amounts, humidity levels and winds.

     Starting with the best cities, in descending order, they are: Yuma, Arizona; Las Vegas, Nevada; Phoenix, Arizona; El Paso, Texas; Reno, Nevada; Albuquerque, New Mexico; Winslow, Arizona; Bishop, California; Bakersfield, California; and San Diego, California. In descending order, the worst weather cities are: Quillayute, Washington; Astoria, Oregon; Marquette, Michigan; Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan; Syracuse, New York; Binghamton, New York; Elkins, West Virginia; New Orleans, Louisiana; Eugene, Oregon; and Hilo, Hawaii.