WATCH ABOVE: Punxsutawney Phil predicts 6 more weeks of winter
WIARTON, Ont. – It’s Groundhog Day, and the long range forecast is in from Canada’s woodchuck weathermen.
Ontario’s Wiarton Willie emerged from his cozy den this morning and immediately spotted his shadow, which according to groundhog folklore means Canadians can expect six more weeks of what has already been a long, cold, snowy winter.
Local tradition states that if groundhogs emerging from their dens on Feb. 2 don’t see their shadow, spring is near.
A little earlier Nova Scotia’s Shubenacadie Sam waddled out into the morning light, but unlike Willie, he did not see his shadow – indicating warmer days are just ahead.
Theresa Adams, assistant education coordinator for the Shubenacadie Provincial Wildlife Park, has faith in Sam’s forecast.
“Sam is absolutely accurate, the weather–not always so much,” she said.
But regardless of what the woodchuck weathermen say, Environment Canada predicts the frigid temperatures that have gripped much of the country the past two months will likely persist through February.
Pennsylvania’s Punxsutawney Phil – the most famous groundhog of them all – is forecasting six more weeks of winter. He emerged from his lair in front of thousands of fans around daybreak Sunday.
In reality, Phil’s prediction is decided ahead of time by a group called the Inner Circle, whose members don top hats and tuxedos for the ceremony on Groundhog Day each year.
Phil is the most famous of a small group of groundhogs said to forecast the weather, including Staten Island Chuck in New York and General Beauregard Lee in Atlanta.
With files from The Associated Press
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