There is no scientific basis for Groundhog Day, but it was a tradition shrouded in Pennsylvania Dutch superstition that dates back hundreds of years ago. Futurism reports that those who practice it say that the groundhog could predict the end of winter, which defies common sense.
But even though science casts doubt on whether these lowland creatures do actually work as a spring prediction tool just by seeing their shadow, it is a comforting ritual for many.
Groundhog Day 2023: Quebec's Fred La Marmotte's Sudden Death Shocked Many in Canada; Does This Mean Spring Will Come Late for the Country?
Groundhog Day 2023: Fred La Marmotte Passes Away
Unfortunately, in a tiny town in eastern Quebec, Canada, their famous groundhog named "Fred la marmotte" (French for groundhog) unexpectedly passed away even before it could cast its prediction for the remaining length of the winter season.
In a somber and dramatic announcement video, the event organizer Roberto Blondin opened his speech by emphasizing how life could be so uncertain and this year, the unfortunate thing happened as their famous spring prediction groundhog Fred passed away.
CBC reports that the animal likely passed away in the late fall or early December while it was hibernating. In a tweet by CBC's Sarah Leavitt, where she also featured the video, she wrote that it was somewhat a surprise to the community as they had a whole event leading up to the groundhog's prediction only to find out about his unexpected death.
But as tradition goes, Fred's premature death has left a major question for meteorologists and those who participate in the tradition of when will Quebec experience its spring season. The answer to that question, as per Futurism, is six more weeks of winter which is only right given Fred's circumstances.
But fortunately, a veritable army of weather-predicting groundhogs survived the winter and their hibernation. In Philadelphia, Punxsutawney Phil, the most famous of the groundhogs saw its shadow and confirmed that there will be six more weeks of winter before the start of spring.
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How Does Groundhog Day Work?
The mythology of Groundhog Day pretty is straightforward: the groundhog's shadow on February 2 forecasts the weather for the following six weeks until spring arrives. The legend says that a bright day means the groundhog will see his shadow, which is interpreted as an omen that the following six weeks will be cold. While an overcast day indicates the inverse.
As per Live Science's report, the Groundhog Club's records show that Punxsutawney Phil has forecasted 108 more winters and 20 early springs in his many incarnations. There are nine years with no records, and the Punxsutawney Area Chamber of Commerce, which keeps track of these things, has no idea what happened to Phil during those years.
Out of these predictions, about 39% were true at the time while the 2012 to 201 study of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Centers for Environmental Information said that it was accurate only 40% of the time
Nonetheless, the wintry weather of 2023 may last even longer than the groundhog's prediction because the meteorological spring is on March 1 while the spring equinox will happen on March 20 in the Northern Hemisphere. But experts said that chilly weather is still expected despite the upcoming dates.
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