Groundhog Day 2023: Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow, but Staten Island Chuck says otherwise

Which groundhog got their prediction right? 02:29

The First Alert Weather team never takes a day off, but Groundhog Day is the one day of the year when they get some help from the animal kingdom. 

Punxsutawney Phil has been making his long range winter forecast since 1887.  Staten Island Chuck got in the forecasting game in 1981. The newest member of the four-legged weather crew is Lady Edwina of the Turtle Back Zoo

“Edwina is a North American groundhog like you’d see in your own backyard, and she’s just over two years old,” said Jilian Fazio, director of the Turtle Back Zoo. 

The hard fact is, Punxsutawney Phil is not very accurate. He has an accuracy rate of 39%. Staten Island Chuck has been accurate 80% of the time!  Edwina’s only been doing this for one year, and so far, she’s batting 1,000.

“We’re always looking to inspire the next generation in any way we can and form empathetic connections with the animals that we have, and Edwina is a great way to do that,” Fazio said. 

Overall winning personality? CBS2’s John Elliott says it has to be Edwina – she’s adorable!

And who needs Dr. Doolittle when you’ve got Caitlin Sharp and her dad?

(Caitlin Sharp/Groundhog interpreter)

“Your dad interpreted groundhog prognostications for decades, and now you’re just carrying on the family tradition?” Elliott asked Caitlin. 

“Yep. It’s in our genes to be able to speak groundhog,” she said. 

“You speak groundhog?” Elliott asked. 

“Yes. It’s a skill,” she said. 

So, to recap: Punxsutawney Phil says six more weeks of winter. Lady Edwina of Essex says six more weeks of winter. Good old Staten Island Chuck? Early spring. 

Groundhog Day at Muscoot Farm by Westchester County Parks on YouTube

Some of the kids of South Mountain School in South Orange love winter fun, but, Elliott says sorry Edwina, he’s sticking with Chuck and Cluxatawney Henrietta of Katonah – she laid an egg this morning, and we all know what that means – an early spring. 

She’s been forecasting for five years, and has been right for four. Nothing scrambled about that.