Are we already at the first day of February? We are, and you know what that means. Groundhog day is just around the corner.
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| A happy summer groundhog near a local walking trail |
February 2 is Skywatch Friday, so let me talk about February 2 today.
Tomorrow will be Groundhog Day in the United States, where we pull a groundhog out of the ground to
predict the weather. It's purely scientific, of course, and this is
how it works:
If
the groundhog sees its shadow, we have six more weeks of winter. If the
groundhog doesn't see its shadow, we get an early spring.
Of course, statistics tell us the groundhog is right less than 40% of the time. But tell that to the good people of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, who host the most famous groundhog of all.
The prediction for this year: right now, tough to call.
I've been doing these posts for years because they are fun.
Last year a high of 36F (2.2C) and a low of 13F (-10.5 C).
2019 was the year of the polar vortex. We in upstate New York didn't get the brunt of it, but still. The morning before we set a new record of -10 (-23 C) with gusting winds.
2020, as we prepared to enter a pandemic period, the groundhog did not see its shadow. But the weather did not listen, and we had a miserable spring, in the midst of our lockdown. We even got snow in May, where I live in New York State.
2017? It got up to 42F (5.5 Celsius) at our house.
In 2016, it was unseasonably warm for us.
In 2015, one of our harshest Northeast winters in many years, the ground hog saw its shadow, despite the fact that it was overcast, and a rain/snow mix was moving in.
In 2013, it didn't see its shadow and we
still got six more weeks of winter.
The groundhog almost got the death penalty for that one. Poor groundhog. (On the other hand,
considering how many of my plants groundhogs have destroyed over the
years, good thing I wasn't on that jury.)
There are multiple predicting groundhogs in the United States, and they even compete with each other.
And tomorrow, we do it again.
...Puxatony Phil is my groundhog.
ReplyDeleteWe don't really need a groundhog to tell us winter is over here in Southeast Texas. We may still have some cold days but any extended cold period is past.
ReplyDeleteIf only the groundhogs could get together and come to a consensus! Also -10, ouch that's crazy. This year's 40 degree temps sound much better.
ReplyDeleteI think you get six more weeks of winter whether he sees his shadow or not.
ReplyDeleteInteresting look back at Groundhog Day, which we also have in Canada. Our groundhog's name is Wiarton Willie. ☺
ReplyDeleteI love the movie, starring Bill Murray. Have you seen it?
He’s a rodent, not a meteorologist. But maybe he’ll be right this year.
ReplyDeleteFun post and photo about the Groundhog ~ hugs,
ReplyDeleteWishing you good health, laughter and love in your days,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)
We've got a couple more weeks of winter here no matter what the groundhog says. (We've got rain predicted for next week, so unless a groundhog can make the skies dry up, we've got more winter at least.)
ReplyDeleteI think everyday is my groundhog day too
ReplyDeleteWhat a funny tradition. In CA we don't pay to much attention since our weather is so mild. Heck, I don't even think we have groundhogs here!
ReplyDeleteThe movie is awesome. Bill Murray was brilliant. Groundhogs aren't a source of weather telling.
ReplyDeletethecontemplativecat here. California does not have a weather "prognosticator" here.
ReplyDelete