Staten Island Chuck, Weather Prognosticator Extraordinaire, Says Six More Weeks Of Winter! Are You Surprised, Groundhog Fans?

Staten Islanders are very lucky. As previous seasonal tests of predictions have demonstrated, Staten Island Chuck has a very high accuracy rate.  The same cannot be said for the classic Groundhog everyone thinks of (you know, the one from Groundhog Day with Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell) – Punxsutawney Phil.  His accuracy rate is much lower than our own little weather predictor rodent (who has been right 78-82% of the time).  He should be honored with his own weatherman’s microphone badge (they can hang it on his house!). But, realistically speaking, this year’s prediction was an easy one.  Does literally ANYONE think that spring even has a chance of coming early this year? Like next week?  With all those piles of snow and ice and single-digit temperatures?  Previous years have been much more of a challenge, especially last winter, which could have easily ended early. But this year, he is practically guaranteed to be right.  You can see our story about the origins of this Pennsylvania Dutch holiday here.  And remember, there has to be a majority of days with weather over 40 degrees, ten times higher than yesterday. And this is PETA’s story about the town Upstate that has replaced their animal groundhog with a human dressed in a costume.  

Staten Island elected officials and dignitaries and Citizens local representatives joined Ken Mitchell, the Staten Island Zoo’s Executive Director, to announce Chuck’s prediction. Representing Citizens: Yajaira Hafley, Tri-State Metro Retail Market Executive.

Students from Susan E. Wagner High School will be present at the ceremony, highlighting Chuck’s role at the Zoo as an ambassador for weather science and learning about meteorology.  The students will track the local weather from February 2^nd to March 20 (the first day of Spring) to determine if Chuck’s prediction is accurate.

According to legend, groundhogs awake from their winter hibernation every February 2^nd, to either forecast an “early Spring” or – if it sees its shadow and runs back into its burrow – six more weeks of winter. Staten Island Chuck has been accurate over 78% of the time.

The Groundhog Day ceremony, weather science school outreach and care for the Zoo’s resident groundhog Chuck are made possible by Citizens.

Staten Island Zoo Groundhog Day announcement and celebration. Image Credit – Staten Island Zoo

Staten Island Zoo Groundhog Day announcement and celebration. Image Credit – Staten Island Zoo

Banner Image: Staten Island Zoo Groundhog Day announcement and celebration. Image Credit – Staten Island Zoo