Breaking News: Groundhog Day 2012 Results Are In

Today is everybody’s favorite holiday, Groundhog Day. Children around the world rejoice and anxiously await the results of whether or not Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow. The nation’s climate weighs heavily on this critter’s shoulders.

Despite yesterdays Spring-like temperatures in New York, this morning Punxsutawney Phil, the world’s most famous groundhog, emerged from his burrow and allegedly saw his shadow, indicating that we’re in for six more weeks of winter. This ritual takes place each year on Feb. 2 at Gobbler’s Knob, a hill outside of Punxsutawney, Penn., about 65 miles northeast of Pittsburgh.

But Charles G. Hogg, the furry prognosticator at Staten Island Zoo better known as Staten Island Chuck, disagrees! This furry rodent is known to be a rebel after biting Mayor Bloomberg three years ago. Since then, the Mayor has approached with caution and worn leather gloves, just to be on the safe side. Staten Island Chuck did not see his shadow, predicting an early spring. The New York groundhog indicated that milder weather is likely to be with us until March 20, the calendar start of spring. According to CBS, Chuck has accurately predicted the forecast 80 percent of the time since the 1980s (though he hasn’t been around as long as Phil’s 125 years).

Groundhog Day original trailer - 1993

Source: Time and Syracuse