Split decisions: 2 LI groundhogs, Hal, Mel, say 6 more weeks of winter; another says no

Long Island's Holtsville Hal and Malverne Mel agree: no early spring for Long Island this year. But another resident rodent begged to disagree.

Two out of three Long Island groundhogs saw their shadows, Hal at the Holtsville Ecology Site & Animal Preserve and Mel at Crossroads Farm in Malverne, meaning more winter on the horizon.

"He said don’t be fooled by all the warm weather. We are going to have six more weeks of winter,” Malverne Mayor Keith Corbett said as he announced Mel's forecast.

The lone prediction of an early spring came from Quigley who did not see a shadow at Quogue Fire Department headquarters.

The annual event has its origin in a German legend that says if a groundhog casts a shadow on Feb. 2, winter continues. If not, spring comes early.

The local furry forecasters’ prediction contradicts that of Staten Island Chuck and their more famous Pennsylvania counterpart, Punxsutawney Phil, neither of whom saw its shadow.

Still, Long Island's woodchucks are a draw, with scores of people lining up on Sunday for the seasonal projections.

“Holtsville Hal might be the coolest groundhog out there,” said Big Mike Sangiamo, a DJ with 103.1-Max FM dressed in a fleece groundhog onesie for the occasion. "I like to think that I am number two because all those other groundhogs besides me and Hal? They just chillin'."

Mel and Hal's forecast won’t hold true if the January trend continues. The average temperature for the month was 6.7 degrees higher than average at Long Island MacArthur Airport in Islip, according to the National Weather Service. And the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Climate Prediction Center predicts a higher than normal chance that we’ll see higher than average temperatures for February.

With AP

By Vera Chinese

vera.chinese@newsday.com@VeraChinese

Vera Chinese joined Newsday in 2017 after working as an editor for the East End lifestyle publication northforker and a general assignment reporter for the New York Daily News.