I've got a big dog with long hair,, and he sheds twice a year. I watch how he sheds and take my best guess, I only figured out there was information to consider a few years ago, so far Ive been ON, with how bad the summer and winter a couple of times,, , He's not even really shedding yet. Ive seen his outline on the floor, like a chalk line around the dead body on the TV show,,I rake and pull, out in the yard,, Im not there yet,, So, Until I see somethng,, I wont have an idea.. But Fat Squirrels could be a good indicator where you are,.If they are obviously fatter than last year, either they had an easy summer or theyre fattening up for a hard winter,, Have ya Been watching them over several years?
Right now, I gotta say our squirrels, those scrawny invasive gray squirrels,, theyre so skinny,, and the dog isnt droppin hair, so unless I see things change, Im goin with
Easy winter,,

They're much more rotund than usual here. They used to run rings around my dog when she went after them and now it's all thay can do to stay ahead of her teeth. Recently she was chasing one and nearly caught it because the fat bastard fell while trying to climb the fence. Used to be they'd just hop right to the top of it but now they have to actually climb it.
And the dog is getting older and slowing down too.

Okay,, so what is the Obvious Take Away?

FAT squirrels,, AND theyre Fluffy

Sounds like easy targets to me,,

The little guy that hangs around our backyard that we call Macho Squirrel is actually looking a trifle thinner than usual, but this is Tucson so I don't know if that means anything. He still likes to survey his domain and contemplate life atop our planter wall most mornings.