Groundhog’s Day is without a doubt one of America’s weirder holidays. Every year, millions look to a furry groundhog in a small town in Philadelphia to determine their mood for the next six weeks.
Early this morning, Punxsutawney Phil crawled out of his hole to “tell” us his prediction that winter will be over sooner rather than later. But before you go on rejoicing, you may want to think about the fact that this groundhog only has a 40% accuracy rate. Because of his less-than-stellar predictions, other animals have stepped up to the plate to be the go-to furry forecaster that will answer the question on everyone’s mind: When will winter end?
Connecticut’s Scramble the Duck
Connecticut’s Scramble the Duck has a 100% accuracy rating, at least according to his handlers. Similar to his groundhog competition, if Scramble sees his shadow there will be six more weeks of winter. (For what it’s worth, he also predicted an early spring).
Florida’s burrowing owl
The Sunshine State of course has to do things their way. Instead of looking at a burrowing animal, they look to the sky to see the burrowing owls’ predictions. The bird is commonly found in Southwest Florida and has fairly accurate predictions. Of course, a Florida winter is still sunny and 70, so it’s not that hard to determine.
North Carolina’s Pisgah Penny
Brevard, North Carolina’s white squirrel, Pisgah Penny, is quite the predictor. After taking over for her uncle Pisgah Pete, who retired in 2022, Penny will also predict the winner of the Super Bowl.
New York’s Clucksatawney Henrietta the chicken
Punxsutawney Phil looks to his shadow to determine the wintery future, but a chicken in New York has her own way of figuring out the weather. If Clucksatawney Henrietta, who lives happily on the Muscoot Farm in Katonah, New York, lays an egg during the annual Groundhog Day ceremony, there will be an early spring; otherwise, New Yorkers will be dealing with six more weeks of winter. Seems straightforward enough.
Oregon’s Fufu the Hedgehog
In Portland, the Oregon Zoo’s very own hedgehog — named FuFu! — has been making predictions for years. According to legend, hedgehogs have been weather forecasters for centuries dating back to old Europe. As it turns out, FuFu has gotten pretty good at making predictions: she currently holds a 53% accuracy rate.
Texas’ Bee Cave Bob the Armadillo
In the most Texan way, Bob the Armadillo travels from Katy to Bee Cave, Texas, to determine if the Lone Star State will have to endure six more weeks of winter.
While some animals have better guesses than others, we strongly suggest sticking to a certified meteorologist for accurate readings.
