Wiarton Willie Predicts Early Spring, Joins Other Groundhogs in Weather Forecast

In a highly anticipated annual event, Wiarton Willie, the famous white groundhog from Wiarton, Ontario, has predicted an early spring this year. The prediction matches similar forecasts made by Shubenacadie Sam in Nova Scotia, Fred la marmotte in Quebec, and Punxsutawney Phil in Pennsylvania.

This morning, amidst a large crowd gathered in Wiarton, Willie announced his prediction to South Bruce Peninsula Mayor Jay Kirkland. Not seeing his shadow, Willie indicated that an early spring was on the way.

However, not all animals agreed on the weather forecast. Lucy the Lobster, residing in Barrington, Nova Scotia, saw her shadow and predicted six more weeks of winter.

Wiarton Willie, an albino groundhog, made the prediction at 8:07 a.m. ET. The tradition involves bringing Willie out of his habitat to determine whether he sees his shadow or not. Seeing his shadow would have indicated six more weeks of winter.

Wiarton, a town located on the shores of Georgian Bay, holds an annual Groundhog Day festival to celebrate the prediction. The tradition dates back to 1956 and was started by Mac McKenzie, who sought to bring warmth to the community during the winter blues.

Groundhog Day is celebrated across North America, with Punxsutawney Phil being the most famous groundhog of all, even inspiring the movie Groundhog Day starring Bill Murray. In Canada, other weather-predicting animals, such as Winnipeg Wyn, Manitoba Merv, and Balzac Billy, offer their predictions as well.

The diverse range of forecasts provided by these unique prognosticating animals adds a touch of fun and excitement to this age-old tradition.