A Rodent Predicts An Early Spring For U.S.

Can you really believe a groundhog when it comes to predicting the weather?

Punxsutawney Phil was pulled out from his warm burrow at Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney, PA this morning in front of a crowd of thousands to reveal if he'll see his shadow or not to predict when spring will arrive. The tradition has been going on now for more than 130 years and this morning the chunky rodent did not see his shadow, which means spring should be arriving soon. If he had seen a shadow it would have meant we would be enduring six more weeks of winter.

However, Punxsutawney Phil doesn't have the best track record when it comes to predicting the weather, he's only been right approximately 40% of the time in the last decade according to CNN. Similar rodents and reptiles have about the same track record when it comes to predicting spring's arrival. For instance, North Carolina's pair of groundhogs Sir Waltler Wally and Snerd are right about 50% of the time. Then there's swamp rats in Louisiana and pygmy hedge hogs used in Oregon to predict spring's arrival.

We know these animals aren't accurate predictors of the weather, it's just fun to play along! By the way, Groundhog Day falls on February 2nd because it is halfway between the winter solstice and spring equinox.