Chuck, Not Phil, Top Forecasting Groundhog

Observer Reports

At least seventeen Groundhogs, a prairie dog statue and a tortoise are watched closely on this day each year to see how much longer winter weather will last.

The National Weather Service has been tracking and grading the forecasting record of these critters for the past 20 years, and one rodent is a clear winner.

Staten Island Chuck, also known as Charles G. Hogg, has an accuracy rate of 85 percent. Chuck lives in New York City Staten Island Zoo, and despite being so reliable at foretelling the weather, his behavior can be a bit unpredictable. He once bit the hand of the Mayor of New York City. Chuck is predicting an early Spring for 2025.

In second place is General Beauregard Lee, Georgia's Official Weather Prognosticator, with an 80 percent accuracy rating. The General lives in Weathering Heights in a groundhog-sized mansion at Dauset Trails Nature Center in Jackson, Georgia, and is a fan of hashbrowns. He is predicting six more weeks of Winter weather for the year.

Lander Lil is the third best weather animal (actually a statue of a prairie dog) who resides in Lander, Wyoming, on the grounds of the local post office. She was modeled after a real live prairie dog who lived in that area. In 2001, Lander Lil was stolen and a search party was organized to find her. She was later found at the town dump and returned home.

The furry one who kicked it all off, Punxsatawney Phil, ranks 17th with an accuracy rating of just 35 percent. Groundhog Day has been celebrated in the United States since at least February 2, 1886, and started in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, with its now-famous groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, the tradition spread throughout America.

These furry critters are usually looked to for fun rather than real forecasts. If you’re looking for the real deal, you can find the National Weather Service’s expected long-term forecast here.