FAULTY PHIL? If you don’t like rodent’s forecast, there are alternatives
Rodents predicting weather trends. Why?
Just as fair a Groundhog Day question, though, is this: Why not? And more importantly, why should Punxsutawney Phil always get to, well, hog the press?
The spring-heralding (or spring-delaying) small animal has taken firm root in some swaths of American culture. And while Phil and his Pennsylvania ilk are the most celebrated, there is an astonishingly broad selection of other critters who have felt the need (or, at least, their handlers have) to put reputations on the line to “predict” meteorology in the dead of winter. Here we offer just a few.
Before we take a look, pause for a moment to remember one particular groundhog of yore — Charlotte, a stand-in for Staten Island Chuck in 2014. She predicted six more weeks before being famously dropped by thennew York City Mayor Bill Deblasio
and dying a week later.
Do take aboard a disclaimer, though. This is merely a smattering of groundhoggery, offered up in no particular order. Please don’t be offended if your animal isn’t included. Maybe next year.
Caused controversy in 2015 after biting the mayor of Sun Prairie on the ear.
MILLTOWN MEL, NEW JERSEY >> Event got caught up in problems with state law this year after the previous prognosticator expired.
Emerged from a tiny green door in a small, humanmade tree stump on Thursday.
Saw his shadow Thursday. Site of where the best-ever PR around the day — the 1993 movie “Groundhog Day” — was filmed.
Predicts from a home base in Quarryville in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Because
plenty of layers. According to Leatham, those who go outside into the blistering cold could suffer frostbite to exposed skin in as little as 10 minutes.
In preparation of the extreme cold, Lowell City Manager Tom Golden directed the opening of a warming station at the Lowell Senior Center, 276 Broadway St., which will be available to city residents, from 3 p.m. Friday until 7 p.m. Saturday. Hours may be extended if necessary.
The warming station