MARION — Buckeye Chuck has spoken and spring isn’t coming soon.

The furry creature emerged shortly after 7:30 a.m. at WMRN radio and gave the crowd what they didn’t want.

Legend has it if a furry rodent casts a shadow on Groundhog Day, Feb. 2, expect six more weeks of winter-like weather. If not, expect spring-like temperatures.

Punxutawney Phil agreed.

The prognosticating Pennsylvania-based whistlepig also saw his shadow, sort of.

In reality, Phil’s prediction is decided ahead of time by the group on Gobbler’s Knob, a tiny hill just outside of Punxsutawney. That’s about 65 miles northeast of Pittsburgh.

So keep the winter coats, gloves and hats handy. Winter’s not going away any time soon, if you can believe the groundhogs.

Records dating to 1887 show Phil predicting more winter 102 times while forecasting an early spring just 18 times. No records exist for the remaining years.

Buckeye Chuck began doing the same thing in the 1970s. Since 2006, Buckeye Chuck has been twice as accurate as Phil, with six correct predictions to Phil’s three.

Last year, both Punxutawney Phil and Buckeye Chuck agreed that we’d have six more weeks of winter.

Buckeye Chuck, Ohio’s official weather-forecasting groundhog, called for six more weeks of winter during his annual Groundhog Day forecast on Friday at radio station WMRN-AM in Marion. It’s the third consecutive year that Chuck has predicted an extended period of wintry weather.
http://www.morrowcountysentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2018/02/web1_web1_BUCKEYE-CHUCK.jpgBuckeye Chuck, Ohio’s official weather-forecasting groundhog, called for six more weeks of winter during his annual Groundhog Day forecast on Friday at radio station WMRN-AM in Marion. It’s the third consecutive year that Chuck has predicted an extended period of wintry weather.

Staff Report