The Old Farmer’s Almanac, publishing its 206th annual edition this Tuesday, is predicting a white Christmas for New England. But overall, the Almanac is counting on a mild winter nationwide. The Almanac claims an 80 percent accuracy rate in its predictions since 1792.

However, last year the Farmer’s Almanac predicted that our region would be “colder and snowier than normal.”

Need we remind you that the area received no measurable amount of snow, and that it was in the 70’s in January? (And pretty warm in February and March, too?)

Again, the Almanac claims an 80 percent accuracy rate. Since 1792. This accuracy is credited in part to careful examination of the average number of reddish-brown segments on woolly bear caterpillars. The Almanac does not seem to credit the use of sophisticated computer models.

In addition to extensive weather forecasts, the Old Farmer’s Almanac includes recipes, folksy wisdom, the top 25 North American fairs and ads for impotency elixirs. The 240-page newstand edition will be available for $3.99, while the 304-page bookstore edition will sell for $4.95.

The 1998 edition will include a hole in the upper left corner, so the Almanac can be hung on a nail in the outhouse, according to the publishers.