February 2, 2005: Groundhog Day!
Today on Gobbler's Knob (Pennsylvania), celebrity burrow-dweller Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow, predicting 6 more weeks of winter. But Phil isn't the only working woodchuck in the business of weather forecasting, just the most famous (he even has an official site--but who doesn't these days). Other weathercritters include: General Beauregard Lee (Lilburn, Georgia; no shadow), Jimmy the Groundhog (Sun Prairie, Wisconsin ; no shadow), Balzac Billie (Balzac, Alberta; no shadow), Staten Island Chuck (no shadow), and so on. Groundhog Central, probably the best site on the subject of rodent prognosticators, has the most thorough round-up of these furry forecasters. Personally, I've always been partial to Octoraria Orphie (he saw his shadow) simply because he resides just down the road from my hometown.
Stormfax Weather Almanac chronicles the history of Groundhog Day. Whether (or weather) you believe in the mysticism or not, Groundhog Day is a fun excuse for partying in the dead of winter, unless you're this Canadian killjoy:
Whether it's Shubenacadie Sam, Wiarton Willie in Ontario or Balzac Billy in Alberta, the bogus weather forecasts from these pampered animals attract national attention every Feb. 2 - Groundhog Day.
What all of these reports overlook is that Groundhog Day is February 2, and independent of a critter's shadow, Spring rarely springs earlier than mid-March...6 weeks away. If that kills your buzz, the Bill Murray movie will lift your spirits again.
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