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80-463: The Harold H. Malkmes Wildlife Education and Ecology Center contains an Animal Wildlife Center, with free admission, containing over 100 injured or non-releasable wild and farm animals, including mountain lions. One well-known resident is groundhog "Holtsville Hal", who emerges each Groundhog Day to make a weather prediction. The center also offers greenhouses, a picnic area, a 1.2-mile (1.9 km) paved exercise trail, free compost and wood chips, and

160-511: A Groundhog Day observance was arguably made by the Punxsutawney Spirit newspaper of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania , in 1886: "up to the time of going to press, the beast has not seen its shadow". However, it was not until the following year in 1887 that the first Groundhog Day considered "official" was commemorated there, with a group making a trip to the Gobbler's Knob part of town to consult

240-441: A circumstance known as "the calm before the storm," in which a large thunderstorm cell to the west may be updrafting the westerly surface wind before it can arrive locally. This situation is readily identifiable by looking to the west – such an approaching storm will be close enough to be unmistakable. In winter, though, calm air and clear skies may signal the presence of an Arctic high , typically accompanied by very cold air, and it

320-456: A e' can." ("On St. Paternian 's day, the dog's tail wags"). This Cervian proverb refers to the fact that the cold began to be felt around the saint's feast day. A farmers' saying associated with Quirinus' feast day of March 30 was "Wie der Quirin, so der Sommer" ("As St. Quirinus' Day goes, so will the summer"). The Ice Saints is the name given in German , Austrian , and Swiss folklore to

400-473: A jar to predict when a storm was coming. This is because leeches tend to climb and become agitated when low pressure is approaching. Ref This verse, and so many others like it, attempts to predict long-range conditions. These predictions have stood the test of time only because they rely on selective memory : people remember when they have predicted correctly and forget when predictions don't hold. One possible factor which could provide these predictions with

480-526: A large bird, in Ireland folklorist Kevin Danaher records lore of hedgehogs being observed for this omen: In Irish folk tradition St. Brighid's Day, 1 February, is the first day of Spring, and thus of the farmer's year. ... To see a hedgehog was a good weather sign, for the hedgehog comes come out of the hole in which he has spent the winter, looks about to judge the weather, and returns to his burrow if bad weather

560-458: A marmot or groundhog ( siffleux ), bear, skunk, otter etc. which if it sees its shadow on Candlemas, causes winter to prolong for 40 days. English traditional weather lore recites, "If Candlemas Day be fair and bright Winter will have another fight If Candlemas Day brings cloud and rain Winter won't come again" An English proverb describes typical March weather: In the 19th century it was used as

640-639: A period noted to bring a brief spell of colder weather in the Northern Hemisphere under the Julian Calendar in May, because the Roman Catholic feast days of St. Mamertus , St. Pancras , and St. Servatus fall on the days of May 11, May 12, and May 13 respectively. In Northern Spain, the four yearly periods of ember days ( témporas ) are used to predict the weather of the following season. Sometimes

720-493: A prediction contingent on a year's early March weather: "Blows its horn" refers to thunderstorms. While March thunderstorms indicate that the weather is unusually warm for that time of year (thunderstorms can occur only with a sufficiently large temperature difference between ground and sky and sufficient amounts of moisture to produce charge differential within a cloud). In the British Isles , Saint Swithun's day (July 15)

800-611: A publication by the Scotland-born American journalist Thomas C. MacMillan in 1886, and American writer/journalist Samuel Adams Drake 's book published in 1900. In the Gaelic calendar of Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of Man, Brigid's Day (February 1) is a day for predicting the weather. While in Scotland the animal that heralds spring on this day is a snake, and on the Isle of Man

880-447: A red sky at night indicates that the high pressure air (and better weather) is westwards. In the morning the light is eastwards, and so a red sky then indicates the high pressure (and better weather) has already passed, and an area of low pressure is following behind. In western European seas, this description of wind direction is an excellent illustration of how the weather events of an active low pressure area present themselves. With

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960-499: A ritualized formality, because the practical procurement of meat had to occur well ahead of time for marinating . A drink called the "groundhog punch" was also served. The flavor has been described as a "cross between pork and chicken". The hunt and feast did not attract enough outside interest, and the practice was discontinued. The groundhog was not named Phil until 1961, possibly as an indirect reference to Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh . The largest Groundhog Day celebration

1040-506: A simpler tradition that if the weather was sunny and clear on Candlemas Day, people expected winter to continue. The simpler version is summarized in the English ( Scots dialect ) couplet that runs "If Candlemas is fair and clear / There'll be twa winters in the year", with equivalent phrases in French and German. And the existence of a corresponding Latin couplet has been suggested as evidence of

1120-419: A thin edge of credibility is that there is some degree of consistency in weather from year to year. Drought cycles or El Niño winters are a perfect example of such circumstances. A pattern of cool summers and warm winters, for instance, can produce patterns in other natural events sensitive enough to be affected by changes in temperature or precipitation. Late-night rains and early morning rains may simply be

1200-693: A town pool (with an admission fee). The site of the Ecology Center was once a general dump owned by New York State, and was acquired by the Town of Brookhaven in 1937 for use as a town dump. Prior to this, the right of way for the Suffolk Traction Company trolley line also ran through this location. In 1968, the State Environmental Facilities Corporation converted the site into a sanitary landfill with seepage lagoons, and closed

1280-590: A weather state. For example, Mars is red and must therefore be hot and dry. Prevalent in ancient Roman thought, astrologists used weather lore to teach commoners of the star and cloud formations and how they can be used to see the future. From this, three main schools of weather lore thoughts developed during the Late Middle Ages as Astrology became more popular throughout Europe. One which related to winds and clouds and had some scientific basis. A second type connected with saints' days possessed doubtful validity but

1360-672: Is Grund'sau dåk. Wânn di grundsau îr schâtte sent... ("February second is Groundhog day. If the groundhog sees its shadow...") is given as common to all fourteen counties in Dutch Pennsylvania Country, in a 1915 monograph. In The Thomas R. Brendle Collection of Pennsylvania German Folklore , Brendle preserved the following lore from the local Pennsylvania German dialect: Wann der Dachs sei Schadde seht im Lichtmess Marye, dann geht er widder in's Loch un beleibt noch sechs Woche drin. Wann Lichtmess Marye awwer drieb is, dann bleibt der dachs haus un's watt noch enanner Friehyaahr. (When

1440-481: Is a Western Christian festival observed in the Roman Catholic and Lutheran churches. In folk religion, various traditions superstitions continue to be linked with the holiday, although this was discouraged by the Reformed Churches in the 16th century. Notably, several traditions that are part of weather lore use the weather at Candlemas to predict the start of spring. The weather-predicting animal on Candlemas

1520-434: Is a good possibility. The nature of airflows directly at a frontal boundary can also create conditions in which lower winds contradict the motions of upper clouds, and the passage of a frontal boundary is often marked by precipitation. Most often, however, this situation occurs in the lee of a low pressure area, to the north of the frontal zones and convergence region, and does not indicate a change in weather, but rather, that

1600-519: Is a tradition observed regionally in the United States and Canada on February 2 of every year. It derives from the Pennsylvania Dutch superstition that if a groundhog emerges from its burrow on this day and sees its shadow, it will retreat to its den and winter will go on for six more weeks; if it does not see its shadow, spring will arrive early. In 2024, an early spring was predicted. While

1680-453: Is difficult to imagine describing a temperature of –35 °C (–31 °F) as pleasant. A halo around the Sun or Moon is caused by the refraction of that body's light by ice crystals at high altitude . Such high-level moisture is a precursor to moisture moving in at increasingly lower levels, and is a good indicator that an active weather system is on its way. Halos typically evolve into what

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1760-401: Is formed when the air cools enough that the vapour pressure encourages condensation over evaporation . In order for the air to be cool on a summer night, the sky must be clear, so excess heat can be radiated into space . Cloudy skies act like a blanket, absorbing and reradiating the heat, keeping it in. So if it is cool enough (and clear enough) for fog to form, it will probably be clear

1840-543: Is going to continue. If he stays out, it means that he knows the mild weather is coming. Additionally, the Roman rite for the goddess Februa had a procession performed on February 2, according to Yoder. The Roman calendar, in turn, had Celtic origins. February 2 concurs with Imbolc , one of the Celtic ' cross-quarter days ', the four days which marked the midpoints between solstice and equinox . The observance of Groundhog Day in

1920-531: Is held in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania , where crowds as large as 40,000 gather each year, nearly eight times the year-round population of the town which is 5,769 as of 2020. The average draw had been about 2,000 until the 1993 film Groundhog Day , which is set at the festivities in Punxsutawney, after which attendance rose to about 10,000. The official Phil is pretended to be a supercentenarian , having been

2000-401: Is known as "milk sky", when the sky appears clear, but the typical blue is either washed-out or barely noticeable. This high, thick cirrostratus cloud is a clear indicator of an approaching low. In the coldest days of winter, a halo around the Sun is evidence of very cold and typically clear air at and above the surface. But sun dogs are indicators that weather conditions are likely to change in

2080-524: Is related to the lore that clear weather on the Christian festival of Candlemas forebodes a prolonged winter. The Groundhog Day ceremony held at Punxsutawney in western Pennsylvania , centering on a semi-mythical groundhog named Punxsutawney Phil , has become the most frequently attended ceremony. Grundsow Lodges in Pennsylvania Dutch Country in the southeastern part of the state observe

2160-424: Is said to forecast the weather for the rest of the summer. If St Swithun's day is dry, then the legend says that the next forty days will also be dry: "St.Swithin's Day if thou be fair, 'Twill rain for forty days no mair; St. Swithin's Day if thou dost rain, For forty days it will remain.". If however it rains, the rain will continue for forty days. There is a scientific basis to the legend of St Swithun's day. Around

2240-509: Is the only language spoken at the event, and those who speak English pay a penalty, usually in the form of a nickel , dime , or quarter per word spoken, with the money put into a bowl in the center of the table. In Milltown, New Jersey , Milltown Mel was purchased in 2008 in Sunbury, Pennsylvania , by Jerry and Cathy Guthlein, and lived in a cage in the Guthleins' back yard. Mel's first event

2320-505: The Australian reader. Thick, moisture-laden storm clouds absorb sunlight. It gives them an appearance that somewhat resembles black smoke. (In a common variation, "shepherd" is replaced by "sailor") A red sky – in the morning or evening – is a result of high pressure air in the atmosphere trapping particles of dust or soot. Air molecules scatter the shorter blue wavelengths of sunlight, but particles of dust, soot and other aerosols scatter

2400-520: The Groundhog Day lore. It predicts that if the groundhog sees its shadow on this day (February 2), six weeks of winter remain. One analysis concluded the creature demonstrated no ability to predict. Other studies gave accuracy percentages, but differing figures. and some of the numbers were slightly better than hazarded guess (33% accurate), according to one source. In other words, there is no appreciable correlation between cloud cover on that day, and

2480-594: The Late Middle Ages , the works of two Greek philosopher-poets, Theophrastus of Eresus on Lesbos and Aratus of Macedonia, are known for shaping the prediction of weather. Theophrastus and Aratus collated their works in two main collections for weather lore: On Weather Signs and On Winds. These were used for helping farmers with harvest, merchants for trade and determining the weather the next day. Astrology and weather lore have been closely interlinked for many years - with each planet often being associated with

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2560-609: The Save the Animals Rescue Foundation ), predicts at Quogue Village Fire Department. Staten Island Chuck is the stage name for the official weather-forecasting woodchuck for New York City, housed in the Staten Island Zoo . In 2009, Chuck bit then-NYC-Mayor Mike Bloomberg, prompting zoo officials to quietly replace him with his daughter Charlotte. In 2014, NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio , famously dropped Charlotte during

2640-481: The Southern Hemisphere .) This is known as the "crossed-winds" rule. Clouds traveling parallel to but against the wind may indicate a thunderstorm approaching. Outflow winds typically blow opposite to the updraft zone, and clouds carried in the upper level wind will appear to be moving against the surface wind. However, if such a storm is in the offing, it is not necessary to observe the cloud motions to know rain

2720-663: The West Virginia State Wildlife Center in French Creek, West Virginia , Freddie made his debut in 1978, and boasts an accuracy rate of approximately 50%. On Groundhog Day, 2022, Freddie predicted six more weeks of winter, with the mayor of Buckhannon and members of the community in attendance. Holtsville Hal resides at the Holtsville Ecology Site and Animal Preserve in Holtsville, NY. He predicts

2800-482: The 137th prognostication event, the groundhog once again saw its shadow, calling for six more weeks of winter. In 2024, during the 138th and most recent prognostication event, the groundhog did not see its shadow, calling for an early Spring. This has only happened 20 times in the celebration's recorded history: 1902, 1934, 1942, 1950, 1970, 1975, 1983, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2007, 2011, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2020, and 2024. The Slumbering Groundhog Lodge, which

2880-622: The 1880s were carried out by the Punxsutawney Elks Lodge. The lodge members were the "genesis" of the Groundhog Club formed later, which continued the Groundhog Day tradition. But the lodge started out being interested in the groundhog as a game animal for food. It had started to serve groundhog at the lodge, and had been organizing a hunting party on a day each year in late summer. The chronologies given are somewhat inconsistent in

2960-506: The German-speaking world, there was the belief that frogs could predict the weather. It grew from observing European tree frogs climb up vegetation in sunny weather, and led to frogs being held inside jars equipped with a small ladder. The term Wetterfrosch ( weather frog ) has survived as a humorous, if somewhat derogatory epithet for meteorologists, insinuating their predictions can not be trusted. Some early barometers used leeches in

3040-695: The U. S. and Canada, also falls on February 2 and is thought to derive from the Candlemas weather lore in Europe, particularly the German which features the badger as the predictor. An example of such German weather rhyme translates as: There are also French counterparts. One for Saint-Vallier in Lorraine states: And another from Courbesseaux says that if it is sunny on Candlemas the wolf returns to its cave for six weeks, and if not, for forty days. In French Canada, it may be

3120-492: The United States first occurred in German communities in Pennsylvania, according to known records. The earliest mention of Groundhog Day is an entry on February 2, 1840, in the diary of James L. Morris of Morgantown , in Pennsylvania Dutch Country , according to the book on the subject by Don Yoder . This was a Welsh enclave but the diarist was commenting on his neighbors who were of German stock. The first reported news of

3200-479: The approach of a low, easterly winds typically pick up. These gusty winds can be unpleasant for a number of reasons; they are often uncomfortably warm, dry, and dusty in the summer and bitterly cold in the winter. Northerly winds, which follow around a low, are cold and blustery. Sailing in conditions of northerly winds requires expertise and a boat capable of handling heavy waves. Southerly winds usually bring warm temperatures, and though they may not necessarily feed

3280-541: The badger became the dox , which in Deitsch referred to "groundhog". The standard term for "groundhog" was grun'daks (from German dachs ), with the regional variant in York County being grundsau , a direct translation of the English name, according to a 19th-century book on the dialect. The form was a regional variant according to one 19th-century source. However, the weather superstition that begins Der zwet Hær'ning

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3360-578: The badger sunbathes during Candlemas-week, for four more weeks he will be back in his hole"). A slight variant is found in a collection of weather lore ( Bauernregeln , lit. "farmers' rules") printed in Austria in 1823. The Pennsylvanians maintained the same tradition as the Germans on Groundhog Day, except that winter's spell would be prolonged for six weeks instead of four. For the Pennsylvania Dutch,

3440-402: The ceremony, visibly disturbing many of the children present for the event. Charlotte's untimely death a week later prompted rumors she was killed by the fall, although the zoo later said this was unlikely to be the cause of Charlotte's demise. As a result, Bill de Blasio did not participate in the tradition thereafter. Dunkirk Dave (a stage name for numerous groundhogs that have filled

3520-413: The cold front passes. Typically, if there is any heavy precipitation, it will accompany the passage of the cold front. When a low passes to the south, on the other hand, winds will initially pick up from the east, but will gradually shift to northerly. Overcast skies and steady precipitation often occur as the center of the low passes due south, but skies will clear and winds will gradually become westerly as

3600-503: The day as follows: "...it was the second of February, that ancient Candlemas-day whose treacherous sun, the precursor of six weeks of cold, inspired Matthew Laensberg with the two lines, which have deservedly become classic: 'Qu'il luise ou qu'il luiserne, L'ours rentre en sa caverne.' (Let it gleam or let it glimmer, The bear goes back into his cave.)" – Hugo, Victor. "Les Misérables." Trans. Fahnestock and MacAfee, based on Wilbour. Signet Classics, NY, 1987. p. 725. The groundhog

3680-766: The facility completely by 1974. By 1971, the park was already under development, and opened in 1979. The animal preserve has included mountain lions since 1987, when "Kimo" was recovered from an owner who had abused him. The site faced closure due to budget cuts proposed in the 2013 Brookhaven Town Budget. However, as of 2016 the center remains open, officially known as the Town of Brookhaven Wildlife and Ecology Center . 40°47′58″N 73°02′06″W  /  40.79944°N 73.03500°W  / 40.79944; -73.03500 Groundhog Day Groundhog Day ( Pennsylvania German : Grund'sau dåk , Grundsaudaag , Grundsow Dawg , Murmeltiertag ; Nova Scotia : Daks Day )

3760-424: The fish, they do provide pleasant fishing weather. Wind and weather observations will be different for a low passing to the north of the observer than for one passing to the south. When a low passes to the north, the winds typically pick up from the east, swing to southerly (possibly accompanied by light precipitation, usually not) with the passage of the low's warm front, and then switch to northwesterly or westerly as

3840-673: The great antiquity of this tradition. Scholar Rhys Carpenter in 1946 emphasized that the Badger Day tradition was strong in Germany, but absent in the British Isles, and he referred to this as a reason that the U.S. Groundhog Day was not brought by immigrants from these places. There did exist a belief among Roman Catholics in Britain that the hedgehog predicted the length of winter, or so it has been claimed, but without demonstration of its age, in

3920-463: The ground-level wind and observing the movement of the clouds, it is possible to determine whether the weather will improve or deteriorate. For the Northern Hemisphere, it works like this: If the upper-level clouds are moving from the right, a low-pressure area has passed and the weather will improve; if from the left, a low pressure area is arriving and the weather will deteriorate. (Reverse for

4000-681: The groundhog sees his shadow on the morning of Mary Candlemas, he will again go into his hole and remain there for six weeks. But if the morning of Mary Candlemas is overcast, the groundhog will remain outside and there will be another spring.) The form grundsow has been used by the lodge in Allentown and elsewhere. Brendle also recorded the name "Grundsaudag" (Groundhog day in Lebanon County) and "Daxdaag" (Groundhog day in Northampton County). Victor Hugo, in "Les Misérables", (1864) discusses

4080-438: The groundhog. People have gathered annually at the spot for the event ever since. Clymer Freas (1867–1942) who was city editor at the Punxsutawney Spirit is credited as the "father" who conceived the idea of "Groundhog Day". It has also been suggested that Punxsutawney was where all the Groundhog Day events originated, from where it spread to other parts of the United States and Canada. The Groundhog Day celebrations of

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4160-740: The imminence of springlike weather. There are some meteorological basis suggested, but is a fuzzy mechanism, and fixing a precise date compromises the effectiveness. There are weather lore marked by dates on the year's calendar. The Hispanic tradition of cabañuelas predicts the weather for the year based on the 12, 18 or 24 days of January or August. There are weather lore around February 2, known as Candlemas , Brigid's Day , or St. Blaise 's Day (St. Blaze's Day). One French lore says that if it rains on Candlemas ( Chandeleur ) there will be forty more days of rainy day: Quand il pleut pour la Chandeleur, il pleut pendant quarante jours . Groundhog Day also falls on this day. Groundhog Day , observed in

4240-419: The last precipitation of a passing weather front. However, since fronts pass at night as often as they do in the day, morning rain is no predictor of a dry afternoon. However, this lore can describe non-frontal weather. Given sufficient surface heating, a late-day rainstorm may continue to develop into the night, produce early precipitation, then dissipate by late morning. This, though, is the exception rather than

4320-598: The literature. The first "Groundhog Picnic" was held in 1887 according to one source, but given as post-circa-1889 by a local historian in a journal. The historian states that around 1889 the meat was served in the lodge's banquet, and the organized hunt started after that. Either way, the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club was formed in 1899, and continued the hunt and "Groundhog Feast", which took place annually in September. The "hunt" portion of it became increasingly

4400-407: The longer red wavelength of sunlight in a process called Rayleigh scattering . At sunrise and sunset, the sun is lower in the sky causing the sunlight to travel through more of the atmosphere so scattering more light. This effect is further enhanced when there are at least some high level clouds to reflect this light back to the ground. When weather systems predominantly move from west to east ,

4480-455: The lore is concurrent with existing conditions, more than prediction, as in: Seagulls tend to sleep on the water. However, seagulls, like people, find gusty, turbulent wind difficult to contend with, and under such circumstances, the water is also choppy and unpleasant. Seagulls huddled on the ground may be a sign that the weather is already bad. Cows prefer not to have the wind blowing in their faces, and so typically stand with their backs to

4560-428: The low moves off to the east. No observer will experience all the weather elements of a low in a single passage. Calm conditions, especially with clear skies, indicate the dominance of a high pressure area . Because highs are broad regions of descending air, they discourage the formation of phenomena typically associated with weather, such as clouds, wind, and precipitation. Calm conditions, though, may also result from

4640-401: The middle of July, the jet stream settles into a pattern which, in the majority of years, holds reasonably steady until the end of August. When the jet stream lies north of the British Isles then continental high pressure is able to move in; when it lies across or south of the British Isles, Arctic air and Atlantic weather systems predominate. The Hispanic tradition of cabañuelas predicts

4720-457: The most part, these regions do not experience weather as it is understood by this definition. The Sahara in northern Africa, for instance, is almost uniformly hot, sunny and dry all year long especially due to the non-stop presence of high atmospheric pressure aloft, whereas weather trends on the Indian subcontinent and in the western Pacific , for instance, the monsoonal belt, occur gradually over

4800-462: The next 18 to 36 hours. Moisture in the air causes wood to swell, making doors and windows sticky, and salt is a very effective absorber of moisture . With a high level of moisture in the air, the likelihood of precipitation is increased. The magnesium carbonate and later calcium silicate in iodized salt acts as an anti-clumping agent in humid conditions, leading to Morton Salt 's umbrella girl logo and slogan "When it rains, it pours". Fog

4880-470: The next day. Winter fog is the result of two entirely different circumstances. Above the ocean or a large lake, air is typically more humid than above land. When the humid air moves over cold land, it will form fog and precipitation. (To the east of the North American Great Lakes , this is a common phenomenon, and is known as the " lake effect .") In northerly climates, ice fog may form when

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4960-413: The occasion as well. Other cities in the United States and Canada also have adopted the event. The Pennsylvania Dutch were immigrants from German-speaking areas of Europe. The Germans had a tradition of marking Candlemas (February 2) as "Badger Day" ( Dachstag ), on which if a badger emerging from its den encountered a sunny day, thereby casting a shadow, it heralded four more weeks of winter. Candlemas

5040-430: The role since 1960) is the local groundhog for Western New York , handled by Bob Will, a typewriter repairman who runs a rescue shelter for groundhogs. Will is adamant that Dunkirk Dave does not actually predict the date of spring because that is fixed by calendars, but instead predicts the harshness of the remainder of winter. French Creek Freddie is West Virginia 's resident groundhog meteorologist. A resident of

5120-451: The same forecasting beast since 1887. For the past several years, the event has been live streamed, allowing more people than ever to watch the animal meteorologist. In 2019, for the 133rd year of the tradition, the groundhog was summoned to come out at 7:25 am on February 2, but did not see its shadow. Fans of Punxsutawney Phil awaited his arrival starting at 6:00 am, thanks to a live stream provided by Visit Pennsylvania. 2021

5200-456: The study of stars and its association with weather lore. Weather can be defined as the constant shift in conditions relating to temperature, cloudiness, rainfall etc. at a particular time and place. A significant portion of weather occurs in Earth 's middle latitudes, between roughly 30° to 60° North and South. A great percentage of the world's population lives in the equatorial regions, but for

5280-400: The temperature drops substantially below freezing. It is almost exclusively an urban phenomenon, when the air is so cold that any vapor pressure results in condensation, and additional vapour emitted by automobiles, household furnaces, and industrial plants simply accumulates as fog. This rule may be true under a few special circumstances, otherwise it is false. By standing with one's back to

5360-497: The tradition remains popular in the 21st century, studies have found no consistent association between a groundhog seeing its shadow and the subsequent arrival time of spring-like weather. The weather lore was brought from German-speaking areas where the badger (German: Dachs ) is the forecasting animal, while in Hungary for example the bear serves the same purpose, and badgers were only watched when bears were not around. It

5440-537: The very long term, and the diurnal weather patterns remain constant. Weather folklore , therefore, refers to this mid-latitude region of daily variability. While most of it applies equally to the Southern Hemisphere , the Southern Hemisphere resident may need to take into account the fact that weather systems rotate opposite to those in the North. For instance, the "crossed winds" rule (see below) must be reversed for

5520-626: The weather almost identical with that attributed to St Swithun in England, while in Flanders there is St Godelieve (July 6) and in Germany the Seven Sleepers Day (June 27). In Russia , the weather on the feast of the Protecting Veil is popularly believed to indicate the severity of the forthcoming winter. There was an old proverb from Romagna that ran: "Par San Paternian e' trema la coda

5600-530: The weather for Suffolk County, NY , in front of hundreds of residents each Groundhog Day. Weather lore Weather lore is the body of informal folklore related to the prediction of the weather and its greater meaning. Much like regular folklore, weather lore is passed down through speech and writing from normal people without the use of external measuring instruments. The origin of weather lore can be dated back to primeval men and their usage of star studying in navigation. However, more recently during

5680-499: The weather for the year based on the first 12, 18 or 24 days of January or August. A Swedish proverb uses 30 November ( St Andrew's day , referencing the name day of Anders, a localised variant) as an indicator of the weather over Christmas ( Anders slaskar, julen braskar , translation: Slushy Anders [St. Andrew's day], frozen Christmas). In France , Saint Medard (June 8), Urban of Langres (April 2), and Saint Gervase and Saint Protais (June 19) are credited with an influence on

5760-456: The weather in upcoming days. Today, the majority of weather lore can be found in proverbs. However, much of the weather lore fantasy is still prevalent in today's seasonal calendar, with mentions such as the annual saints' days, the passage of the months, and weather predictions made from animal behaviour. The creation of the astrological signs in Babylonian mythology can also be attributed to

5840-401: The weather, fair or showery, will remain so for a period of hours at least. One of the problems in testing the veracity of traditions about the weather is the wide variety to be found in the details of sayings and traditions. Some variations are regional, while others exhibit less of a pattern. One case where weather lore has been studied for reliability against actual weather observations is

5920-502: The wind. Since westerly winds typically mean arriving or continuing fair weather and easterly winds usually indicate arriving or continuing unsettled weather, a cowvane is as good a way as any of knowing what the weather will be up to for the next few hours. While it is true that cats and dogs eat grass, it has nothing to do with the weather and is because cats and dogs are not exclusively carnivorous. Some researchers believe that dogs eat grass as an emetic when feeling ill. Centered in

6000-850: Was at the family business, the Bronson and Guthlein Funeral Home, with later events moved to the American Legion Post, with free coffee and doughnuts served afterwards. Mel died in 2021. ) Stonewall Jackson predicts at Space Farms Zoo and Museum . Essex Ed the groundhog and Otis the Hedgehog predict at Turtle Back Zoo . “Malverne Mel” is the groundhog of Malverne, in Long Island, New York. Mel began his position in 1996. Great Neck Greta , of Great Neck, Long Island , New York, predicted in 2020. Quigley , of The Hamptons (resident of

6080-571: Was formed in 1907, has carried out the ceremonies that take place in Quarryville, Pennsylvania . It used to be a contending rival to Punxsutawney over the Groundhog Day fame. It employs a taxidermic specimen (stuffed woodchuck). In Southeastern Pennsylvania , Groundhog Lodges ( Grundsow Lodges ) celebrate the holiday with fersommlinge , social events in which food is served, speeches are made, and one or more g'spiel (plays or skits) are performed for entertainment. The Pennsylvania German dialect

6160-450: Was once also known by the obsolete Latin alias Arctomys monax . The genus name signified "bear-rat". The European marmot is of the same genus and was formerly called Arctomys alpinus . It was speculated that the European counterpart might have lore similar to the groundhog attached to it. The German version, with the introduction of the badger (or other beasts), was an expansion of

6240-504: Was quite popular nonetheless during the Middle Ages. A third type treated the behaviour of birds and animals, which has been found to be controlled more by past and present weather rather than to be a true indication of the future. Before the invention of temperature measuring devices, such as the mercury thermometer , it was difficult to gather predictive, numerical data. Therefore, communities used their surroundings to predict and explain

6320-579: Was the 135th celebration, and for the first time, due to the COVID-19 pandemic , the ceremony was held behind closed doors , with no fans allowed to attend and most of the Inner Circle members being required to wear a mask, including Phill. The groundhog was summoned at 7:25 am on February 2 and saw its shadow. 2022 saw the 136th celebration of the normal in-person event and the groundhog saw its shadow, predicting six more weeks of winter. In 2023, during

6400-400: Was usually the badger , although regionally, the animal was the bear or the fox. The original weather-predicting animal in Germany had been the bear, another hibernating mammal, but when they grew scarce, the lore became altered. Similarity to the groundhog lore has been noted for the German formula: Sonnt sich der Dachs in der Lichtmeßwoche, so geht er auf vier Wochen wieder zu Loche ("If

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