Sask. pig spleen weather prognosticator dies

Gus Wickstrom, one of Saskatchewan's most famous pig spleen forecasters, has died after a brief illness. He was 68.

Wickstrom, who lived in Tomkins, Sask., became known across North America for his ability to predict the weather by examining the shape, size, colour and texture of a pig spleen.

He learned the skill from his grandfather, who brought it with him from Sweden to helpfarmers planting their fields and planning their harvests.

In a 2006 interview with CBC News, Wickstrom said he was right about 80 per cent of the time.

His method involveddividing the spleeninto six sections, one for each month in a half-year cycle. He said he could predict rain and temperature based on the thickness of the organ.

"Why do [Environment Canada] get it wrong, with their satellites and expensiveweather barometers and weather-predicting machines?" he asked.

Wickstrom's weather prognostication abilitiesgained him international exposure onnumerous television programs, including the Daily Show.

According to Wickstrom, the pig spleen has several valuable uses, including as acure forbaldness andan aphrodisiac if taken in limited quantities.