The Breakdown: Can Persimmon Seeds Really Predict Winter Weather?

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) -Could a tiny seed tell us what kind of winter is ahead for the Mid-South?

According to an old piece of weather folklore, the answer might be hiding inside a persimmon. Split open one of its seeds, look at the shape inside, and you may find what some believe is a preview of the winter to come.

Let’s take a closer look at the tradition and what those shapes are said to mean in this edition of The Breakdown.

A winter forecast hiding inside a seed?

The American persimmon is a native tree found across parts of the eastern and central United States, including Tennessee. Its fruit ripens in the fall, and many people wait until it is soft and fully ripe before collecting seeds to examine. A frost isn’t required for the fruit to ripen.

According to tradition, the shape inside a seed can look like a spoon, fork or knife. Each one comes with a different prediction for the winter ahead.

• Spoon: Get the snow shovel ready! A spoon is said to signal a snowy winter.
• Fork: Expect a milder winter, with lighter, powdery snow.
• Knife: Bundle up. A knife is said to point to bitter cold and winds that “cut” like a blade.

The shape you’re looking at is part of the developing plant embryo, including its tiny seed leaves, called cotyledons. It isn’t a forecast made by the tree’s roots.

A tradition worth revisiting

In a 2018 edition of The Breakdown, Ron Childers shared the story of this longtime winter weather tradition and what each shape is said to mean.

Years later, the folklore remains a fun way to connect with the changing seasons and share a piece of weather history. Whether the seed reveals a spoon, fork or knife, it’s another reminder of the creative ways people have looked to nature for clues about the seasons ahead.

What meteorologists look at instead

For a broader picture of what winter might bring, meteorologists study factors such as ocean temperatures, large-scale atmospheric patterns, historical climate data and computer models. NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center combines information like this to issue seasonal temperature and precipitation outlooks.

Even those outlooks aren’t a day-by-day forecast. They describe the likelihood of conditions being above, below or near normal over a period of time. They can’t tell us months in advance exactly when a snowstorm will arrive or how much snow will fall in your neighborhood.

And a warmer-than-average winter overall doesn’t rule out a cold snap or a winter storm here in the Mid-South. It only takes one well-timed system to bring a significant impact.

What will the seeds say this year?

As we head into the 2026–27 winter season, many viewers have shared that they’re seeing spoon shapes inside their persimmon seeds this year. According to the folklore, that could mean a snowy winter ahead for the Mid-South.

Checking a persimmon seed can be a fun way to keep a local tradition alive and start a conversation about the weather.

Whether you find a spoon, fork or knife, we’ll be watching the atmosphere—not the seeds—to help you prepare for whatever winter brings.

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