Groundhog Day 2008

Groundhog Day is an interesting tradition that began in Europe in the middleages. It was noted that clear, sunny weather on Candlemas resulted in about six more weeks of winter - a gray, cloudy day would mean an early spring.

If Candlemas be fair and bright, Winter has another flight.

If Candlemas brings clouds and rain, Winter will not come again.

German tradition included a hedgehog. When German settlers came to Pennsylvania in 1887, the animal was changed to a groundhog.

In the United States the official groundhog is called Punxsutawney Phil. In Canada we have weather rodents in several regions, the most well known being Wiarton Willie, an albino groundhog.

In 1999, Canada suffered through a major scandal, or WillieGate, concerning Wiarton Willie. The 22 year old groundhog died sometime during his winter hibernation. [Note: Wiarton Willie the 2nd died in 2006] The death of Willie the 1st was not discovered until two days before the Groundhog Day Festivities. Organizers of the event said that instead of the traditional Groundhog Day events, a funeral service would be held for Wiarton Willie. At some point during the funeral service it was discovered that the body in the coffin was not that of Wiarton Willie, but instead a stuffed replica. Willie's body was apparently too badly decomposed for the viewing. Parents were outraged, children were traumitized and it took some time to live down the whole mess.

So what about the predictions for 2008? Wiarton Willie did not see his shadow, we will have an early spring. Punxsutawney Phil did see his shadow, the Americans will have another 6 weeks of winter.

Environment Canada's Dave Philips believes the prediction legend is "pure groundhogwash. Come on, when these groundhogs come out of their burrow, they're looking for sex! They're not looking for their shadow," he says, perhaps just a little defensively.