Stormy and the Farmers’ Almanac both hit the bull’s-eye.

Asked for the best shoveling day — Feb. 17, 18 or 19th — they both chose the 17th. The 19th was cold, recording a maximum temperature of 44 degrees, according to the Weather Underground. Though the 18th was warm for a February day, with a high temperature of 53 degrees, the 17th was almost as warm at 50 degrees and had almost no wind. Wind gusts on the 18th topped out at 21 miles an hour.

This week:

The groundhog predicted an early spring, but we don’t need no stinkin’ groundhog. We have a weather fox and the almanac. Between now and Monday they predict:

The choices: 1) Winter’s still got a grip. Fair and windy, then becoming stormy with snow. 2) Rain, rain, rain. 3) Warm temps, sun, no snow at all. Spring!

The food for Stormy: Apples.

The Farmers’ Almanac says: Fair and windy, then becoming stormy with snow.

Stormy says: Grab the umbrellas! It’s going to rain.

Stormy’s Furcast is a winter-long series testing the weather predictions of the good-natured folks at the nearly 200-year-old Farmers’ Almanac against an equally good-natured fox who lives at the Maine Wildlife Park in Gray. The almanac is based on science and secret formulas. The fox makes her pick choosing from three piles of food, appropriately labeled. Each week, a new question and the previous week’s results. May the best forecaster, or furcaster, win.