Split decision on when winter will end from Long Island's groundhogs
As if the heavy snow that fell last weekend wasn't a clue, one of Long Island's chief furry prognosticators has issued his dreary forecast: six more weeks of winter.
During the village's annual Groundhog Day ceremony on Wednesday, Malverne Mel, seemingly in a festive mood, saw his shadow at Crossroads Farm, signaling that an early spring is not in the forecast for Long Island.
But with the nation divided by everything from politics to the economy, why not the weather as well?
Mel's counterpart to the east, Holtsville Hal, failed to see his shadow during a virtual ceremony Wednesday morning, suggesting warmer weather could soon be on the way.
With Mel safely contained in a crate, away from his audience, the mayor of Malverne issued Mel's 27th proclamation.
"When looking for his shadow it could surely be seen," Mayor Keith Corbett declared to a mix of cheers and boos from the crowd. "Six more weeks of winter."
Corbett said Mel was correct 78% of the time, a better rate than Staten Island Chuck, Punxsutawney Phil and Holtsville Hal.
In Pennsylvania, Punxsutawney Phil predicted six more weeks of winter, as he emerged from his burrow at Gobbler's Knob on Wednesday.
And Staten Island Chuck expects an early spring, according to Staten Island District Attorney Michael McMahon, who presided over a ceremony that was livestreamed from Chuck’s home at the Staten Island Zoo.
The annual events have their origin in a German legend that says if a groundhog casts a shadow on Feb. 2, winter continues. If not, spring comes early.
With AP
Robert Brodsky is a breaking news reporter who has worked at Newsday since 2011. He is a Queens College and American University alum.
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