Our local prognosticating rodent is known as Jimmy. Jimmy lives in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin (South Central). Jimmy saw his shadow. Six more weeks (at least!) of winter. Temperature dropped drastically the last couple of days too. Brrrr.

What did YOUR woodchuck have to say?

-- Joy Froelich (dragnfly@chorus.net), February 02, 2001

Answers

I thought there was only one "offical" groundhog,, Poxitony (?) Phill, in Penn ?? I know he said more winter,,,, what happened to global warming ????? BBBBBBRRRRRRRRrRRrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

-- Stan (sopal@net-port.com), February 02, 2001.

The ground hogs in the field behind the house saw their shadows, and disappeared back down the holes so fast that the sun didn't hit their hiney quarters on their way back down. Goodness, they did move fast.

(Oh well, maybe next year)

-- Marty in KS (Mrs.Puck@Excite.com), February 02, 2001.

RED FACE! Jimmy did NOT see his shadow -- guess he was back in his burrow before the sun came out.

Stan, Punxsutawney Phil probably is the best known. However, Jimmy's supporters claim Sun Prairie is the "Official Groundhog Capitol of the USA". I guess it depends on who's the official, eh? ;-)

Visit Jimmy here: http://ktoon.4-evercards.com/ghog/ghoga.html

Scroll down about 1/3 to find the link to Sun Prairie's claims. Apparently the debate even got into the Congressional record, but I can't read the image they posted.

-- Joy Froelich (dragnfly@chorus.net), February 02, 2001.

I always check this one out to-I hate winter, well at least after the first month or so.

The official prediction is that we have six more weeks of winter-but according to the NOAA the ground hog is more often wrong than right.

I also did some long range forecast investigation-seems that for our area at least (sw MO) we are going to be either normal or above normal for the next couple of months..yeah! :)

No matter-signs of spring are all over here...plus even if winter does try to make a re-appearance, the big wigs at the NOAA say that we will not experience any cold like November or December. What a relief!

Sarah

-- sarah (heartsongacres@juno.com), February 02, 2001.

I'll put my bets on NOAA not the ground hog!

-- Bob Johnson (Backwoods_Bob@excite.com), February 02, 2001.

Well, Joy, at this end of the state, all the groundhogs just rolled over in their beds, and pulled the blankets up higher and thought that the sun peeking in the windows was just TOO bright to go outside for a while. Drat.

-- Julie Froelich (firefly1@nnex.net), February 02, 2001.

My daughter rescued a chipmunk today. We oughta go back out there before the sun goes down.

-- Nan (davidl41@ipa.net), February 02, 2001.

Well, I don't know about the predictions of it not being as cold as in November and December. A cold front rolled in here last night and the high at our house today was 11 degrees and we had snow showers off and on all day. The wind was blowing pretty good too so it was cold, cold, cold here (and still is).

-- Terry-NW Ohio (aunt_tm@hotmail.com), February 02, 2001.

I saw a live shot that day of Punxsutawney Phil. It was cloudy and snowing. The only way he could have seen his shadow was from all the flashbulbs popping! -LOL-

-- ~Rogo (rogo2020@yahoo.com), February 05, 2001.

Couple days of cold happened, and now temps are hitting 50's and even 62 for Tuesday! We are getting rain, no snow. Yippiteeeeeee Dooooo Daaaaa! One day last week I even had the window OPEN!! Fresh air, oh how neat that felt in the house. Think Spring.

-- Cindy in Ky (solidrockranch@hotmail.com), February 05, 2001.

way tooo cold for groundhogs to come out up here in northern maine. We always expect 6 more weeks of winter. Last week got 8 to 10cinches of snow dumped on us and today another 13 inches. We're happy welove the snow, and all the fun you can have in it. Let it snow, Let it snow, Let it snow!!!!! More snow means we can really pack the trails good in our sap orchard so that we will be able to haul out the sap come spring time. No snow means mud season too early and then we will have to walk into the woods and boil there. So let it snow!!!

-- michelle (tsjheath@ainop.com), February 06, 2001.

Dear joy woodchuck my groundhog said 6 more weeks of winter and im mad because i want spring!

-- Carl Hicks (Ckh @ jay co . net), February 03, 2002.

Well Joy...here in downeast Maine we have "Downeast Pete" and he DID see his shadow!! But I agree with Michelle...let it snow!!!! I hate that rain/sleet stuff!

-- Marcia (HrMr@webtv.net), February 03, 2002.