Punxsutawney Phil's Prediction - What do YOU think?

Personally I think Cody is a bit crazy to enjoy THIS cold . . . but to each their own, I'm personally looking forward to the midweek warmup.

Since it IS Groundhog Day... I think I'll talk a bit about that, though I'm not the biggest believer of a woodchuck deciding that it's going to be winter for another 6 weeks or that we'll have an early spring. That's just the scientist in me though, so I figured I'd do some research.

First of all, a bit of background on this day... an old Scottish poem explains how a groundhog would think there would be a longer winter if it sees it's shadow: As the light grows longer, The cold grows stronger. Just like the days get longer at the start of winter, so if there's still sun when the woodchuck comes out it's home, it will think that the cold will continue for another six weeks, so it goes back into hibernation.

This is the official prediction from him today read at Gobbler's Knob:

"Hear Ye Hear Ye
On Gobbler's Knob this glorious Groundhog Day, February 2nd, 2009
Punxsutawney Phil, Seer of Seers, Prognosticator of all Prognosticators
Awoke to the call of President Bill Cooper
And greeted his handlers, Ben Hughes and John Griffiths
After casting a joyful eye towards thousands of his faithful followers,
Phil proclaimed that his beloved Pittsburgh Steelers were World Champions one more time
And a bright sky above me
Showed my shadow beside me.
So 6 more weeks of winter it will be."

Here are all of the other Groundhog's predictions this year:

French Creek Freddie from West Virginia Wildlife Center - Early Spring
Buckeye Chuck from Marion, OH - 6 more weeks of winter
Saskatoon Evan from Shubenacadie, Nova Scotia- Early Spring
Balzac Billy from Balzac, Alberta -6 more weeks of winter
Malverne Mel from Long Island -Early Spring
Woodstock Willie from Chicago - 6 more weeks of winter
Jimmy the Groundhog from Sun Prairie, WI -6 more weeks of winter
Octoraro Orphie from Quarryville, Pennsylvania - 6 more weeks of winter
Staten Island Chuck from Staten Island, NY :) - Early Spring
Wiarton Willy from South Bruce Peninsula, Ontario-6 more weeks of winter
Shubenacadie Sam - 6 more weeks of winter

And wow - they've even got a "Groundhog Central" Too much to look at in this research! I think I'll stick to the weather... but I'll write another post in 6 weeks to see how well these woodchucks really did.

Feel free to comment on what YOU think will happen... another 6 weeks of winter or an early spring?

~KDLT Meteorologist Jesse Ritka