The groundhog says it’s official: New York City can expect an early spring!
This morning, Staten Island Chuck emerged from his habitat at the Staten Island Zoo to take part in the annual tradition of Groundhog Day.
According to beloved tradition, if a groundhog sees his shadow upon waking up on Groundhog Day, there will be six more weeks of winter weather, and if he doesn’t see it, spring will come early. This year, Chuck did not see his shadow, predicting an early spring.
“This is the 44th annual Groundhog Day. We appreciate you all coming out on a cold day. Chuck appreciates it, and all our animals here that are Chuck’s neighbors at the Staten Island Zoo and support Chuck all year round,” said Ken Mitchell, Executive Director of the Staten Island Zoo.
Over 100 people braved the cold behind the gates of the Staten Island Zoo to see Staten Island Chuck make his yearly prediction. As local politicians were called to give brief speeches (many of which contained groundhog-themed jokes), the crowd got antsy and began yelling out Chuck’s name. When the curtain hiding Chuck was opened, he shyly stayed put inside his log home, refusing to move.
“I’m very proud to represent the most accurate groundhog in America, and I think he’s going to give us a great forecast,” said U.S. Rep. Nicole Malliotakis.
“It’s an honor to represent Citizens as we celebrate Chuck, the most reliable forecast in their business,” said Danny Lee, Tri-State Metro Market Acting Retail Banking Director of Citizens Bank, who sponsored the day’s events. “At Citizens, we’re proud to be rooted in the community just like Chuck, and like him, we’re always looking ahead. We value the neighborhoods we serve, supporting the organization’s people, and yes, even the groundhogs that make them thrive. This tradition is uniquely special to New York City and Staten Island, and we’re thrilled to be part of it.”
“Chuck is the only man that can get me out of my bed on a Sunday this cold,” said City Councilmember Kamillah Hanks.
Staten Island Chuck’s Pennsylvania counterpart, Punxsutawney Phil, disagreed with Chuck, predicting six more weeks of winter after seeing his shadow. The pair of hogs often disagree, though in 2024, they both predicted an early spring.
“As your chief law enforcement officer, it’s my job to prosecute any and all crimes that occur in our borough and Punxsutawney Phil is lucky to be outside of Staten Island shores because an accuracy rating of 35 percent is just criminal,” said Staten Island District Attorney Michael McMahon.
Chuck’s Long Island counterparts, Holtsville Hal and Malverne Mel, both saw their shadows this year, also predicting six more weeks of winter.
Though animal rights activists and PETA raised concerns about using a live groundhog, Malverne Mel went as usual for a Groundhog’s Day prediction.
Staten Island Chuck’s accuracy
According to the Staten Island Zoo, Chuck has been the more accurate of the furry weathermen when it comes to Groundhog Day predictions. The Zoo claims that Chuck has been correct over 80% of the time, having predicted correctly 26 times in the past 32 Groundhog Days.
“Chuck makes my job a little bit easier every day. I just look at what he’s going to forecast. His accuracy is a little better than mine,” said Jessica Pash, meteorologist for Con Edison. “I do get paid regardless of whether it’s correct or not, but Chuck has an accuracy of over 80%, which is pretty impressive, right?”
This week’s forecast
Over the next couple of days, New Yorkers can expect temperatures in the low to mid-40s with partly to mostly cloudy skies, with an unseasonably warm day on Thursday, Feb. 6, reaching 50 degrees with some showers.
