Pat Shingleton for Sept. 7, 2012

In two weeks, we’ll enter the season of autumn. September is the launch date for The Farmer’s Almanac, not to be confused with a similar publication, Robert B. Thomas’ “The Old Farmer’s Almanac.” In 1818, founder David Young began this almanac by extrapolating a combination of lunar cycles, planet positions and sunspot maximums to create a weather formula for sections of the United States. Clothed in secrecy, the forecast has been protected by a host of editors for 196 years. Editor Sandi Duncan, who along with the publisher, Peter Geiger; protect the location and identity of reclusive weather soothsayer, Caleb Weatherby. In turn, Caleb reportedly protects the age-old formula for six zones ranging from the Pacific to the Atlantic and the Great Lakes to the Gulf.

Fastcast: Sticky.