Groundhogs Disagree on Spring’s Arrival
Lilburn’s most famous weather forecaster, General Beauregard Lee woke up this morning at the Yellow River Game Ranch and didn’t see his shadow. According to legend, that means that Spring is just around the corner.
Up in Pennsylvania, Punxsutawney Phil emerged from Gobbler’s Knob this morning and after noting that his Pittsburgh Steelers won the Super Bowl, saw his shadow and proclaimed six more weeks of winter. In Columbus, Ohio, Buckeye Chuck also called for six more weeks of winter. The same thing happened up in Shubenacadie, Nova Scotia, where Shubenacadie Sam saw his shadow.
The difference in the two marmots’ forecasts marks the fourth time in the last five years that Beau has called for an early spring, while Phil saw more winter ahead. In 2007, both groundhogs said Spring would have an early arrival. Today’s AJC notes that the Pennsylvania prognosticator is correct about 50% of the time, while his Georgia cousin is less accurate, with only a third of his predictions being correct, based on temperatures being above or below normal.
Taking a look at the three month outlook for February through April, both groundhogs could be correct. Warmer than normal temperatures are forecast for the south, however there are equal chances of above or below normal temperatures in the northeast, including Pennsylvania. OF course, one late freeze or snowstorm can make for a long winter.
In the short run, after some cold weather in the early part of this week (and a chance of flurries on Tuesday), it looks like we are in for warmer than normal temperatures through the end of next week. Look for highs in the 60s, which is quite springlike indeed.
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