5 Famous Weather Predicting Groundhogs You’ve Never Heard Of
It’s Groundhog Day…again. According to legend, if it is cloudy when a groundhog emerges from its burrow, it will leave showing that winter will soon end. If it is sunny, the groundhog will see its shadow and go back into its burrow, and the winter weather will continue for six more weeks. The largest Groundhog Day celebration is held in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. The most famous weather man in Punxsutawney is Punxsutawney Phil. However, Phil isn’t the only groundhog to predict weather. Eric Meier and I worked hard researching different groundhogs. Here’s 5 Famous Groundhogs You’ve Never Heard Of.
A native of Ohio, Buckeye Chuck began predicting the arrival of spring in the 1970s. He is one of two groundhogs in Ohio known for predicting the arrival of spring on Groundhog Day. Back in 1979, the Ohio General Assembly declared Buckeye Chuck the official State Groundhog.
Not every famous groundhog has to be from The United States. Balzac Billy is known as the “Prairie Prognosticator”. He lives in Balzac, Alberta, which is located in Canada.
Take a quick guess where you think General Lee the Groundhog is from, you got it, the south. General Beauregard Lee resides at the Yellow River Game Ranch in Lilburn, Georgia. He may be the only groundhog with a degree receiving honorary doctorates from the University of Georgia: “Doctor of Weather Prognostication” and “Doctor of Southern Groundology.” He has been predicting early springs or late winters for many years and has a 94% accuracy rate.
Staten Island Chuck, (his proper name is Charles G. Hogg) is New York City’s official groundhog meteorologist who resides in the Staten Island Zoo in Staten Island. The ceremony at the zoo is often attended and officiated by the Mayor of New York City (currently Michael Bloomberg).
Wiarton Willie is another famous groundhog from Canadian. He currently lives in the community of Wiarton in Bruce County, Ontario. Every February 2, on Groundhog Day, Willie takes part in the local Wiarton Willie Festival. Although the original Wiarton Willie died in 1999, the Wiarton Groundhog Day celebrations continue each year with successors of the original Willie, each referred to as “Wee Willie.”