Tuesday, the 2nd, is Candlemas day, the day on which, according to the Germans, the Groundhog peeps out of his winter quarters and if he sees his shadow he pops back for another six weeks nap, but if the day be cloudy he remains out, as the weather is to be moderate. Why there is more winter is the sun comes out I have never been sure… I guess to early a sun predicts more cold to come… Kind of like love at first sight… It’s generally doomed.
The National Climatic Data Center has described the forecasts as “on average, inaccurate” and stated that “The groundhog has shown no talent for predicting the arrival of spring, especially in recent years.”
The celebration, has its origins in ancient European weather lore, wherein a badger or sacred bear is the prognosticator.
The groundhog (Marmota monax) is a rodent, belonging to the group of large ground squirrels.