Three of North America’s most prominent groundhogs are in agreement: there will be six more weeks of winter.
Wiarton Willie, Nova Scotia’s Shubenacadie Sam and American woodchuck Punxsutawney Phil all spotted their shadows Tuesday morning, heralding in more than a month of cold conditions, as the tradition states.
"There is the sunrise, send the news to the printer, my shadow I see, six more weeks of winter," Mayor Gwen Gilbert proclaimed.
Thousands of people gathered in the Town of South Bruce Peninsula to catch a glimpse of the famous albino animal that inspires a week of events, including pancake breakfasts, dances and hockey tournaments. This is the 54th year of Groundhog Day celebrations in the area.
Earlier in the morning a bag piper and town crier heralded the emergence of Sam at the Shubenacadie Provincial Wildlife Park in N.S. Thanks to his location, Sam is the first groundhog to make a prediction in North America.
And Sam’s forecast was followed by Punxsutawney Phil’s prediction in Pennsylvania, where a huge crowd gathered to see the rodent at Gobbler’s Knob.
The groundhogs offered up the same prediction for 2009.
According to the organizers of the Groundhog Day celebrations in Wiarton, the tradition dates back about 2,000 years when ancient Celtic tribes used animals to predict conditions, knowing they were in tune with nature.
Other experts suggest the tradition began when German settlers brought their Candelmas celebration to North America in the 1700s.
Feb. 2nd is supposed to be the mid-point between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox. According to legend, if the weather was good on that day, the rest of the winter would be stormy and cold.
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