Bernnie Federko
TRIBE Member
R U Ready? Have we not been here B4?
One for teh money, 2 for the show, 3 ta get reddy, and Four here we Go!
Enjoy your day, enjoy Life, and rock and roooolllllll
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Ground Hog Day 2014
- Thread starter Bernnie Federko
- Start date
R U Ready? Have we not been here B4?
One for teh money, 2 for the show, 3 ta get reddy, and Four here we Go!
Enjoy your day, enjoy Life, and rock and roooolllllll
Bernnie Federko
TRIBE Member
Results are in... however here is some information about this day...
Groundhog Day is upon us, with most Canadians hoping for a sign from the furry forecasters that this especially cruel winter will soon end.
Local tradition states that if groundhogs emerging from their dens on Feb. 2 don't see their shadow, spring is near.
First out this morning was Nova Scotia's Shubenacadie Sam — with a promising prognostication for winter weary Canucks.
Sam did not see his shadow, which means his call is for an early spring.
Pennsylvania's Punxsutawney Phil spoiled the mood south of the border when he saw his shadow. Another famous groundhog, Ontario's Wiarton Willie, has yet to make a prediction.
Regardless of what the woodchuck weathermen say, Environment Canada predicts the frigid temperatures that have gripped much of the country the past two months will likely persist through February.
Even provinces that have enjoyed unseasonably warm temperatures, such as British Columbia and parts of Alberta, are expected to feel the chill in the coming weeks.
And with the town of Wiarton wearing a coat of fresh snow today, any hopes of an early spring may already be dashed.
Groundhog Day is upon us, with most Canadians hoping for a sign from the furry forecasters that this especially cruel winter will soon end.
Local tradition states that if groundhogs emerging from their dens on Feb. 2 don't see their shadow, spring is near.
First out this morning was Nova Scotia's Shubenacadie Sam — with a promising prognostication for winter weary Canucks.
Sam did not see his shadow, which means his call is for an early spring.
Pennsylvania's Punxsutawney Phil spoiled the mood south of the border when he saw his shadow. Another famous groundhog, Ontario's Wiarton Willie, has yet to make a prediction.
Regardless of what the woodchuck weathermen say, Environment Canada predicts the frigid temperatures that have gripped much of the country the past two months will likely persist through February.
Even provinces that have enjoyed unseasonably warm temperatures, such as British Columbia and parts of Alberta, are expected to feel the chill in the coming weeks.
And with the town of Wiarton wearing a coat of fresh snow today, any hopes of an early spring may already be dashed.
Bernnie Federko
TRIBE Member
You need to brush up on the Ground Hog scene, D. Facts are facts.
Bernnie Federko
TRIBE Member
Groundhog Day's furry forecasters are giving mixed predictions on how long winter will last, with two of three so far seeing their shadows — indicating another six weeks of cold-weather misery.
Nova Scotia's Shubenacadie Sam came out of his burrow and saw his shadow soon after 8 a.m. AT Monday, which according to tradition means another month and a half of winter weather.
In Pennsylvania, the father of all groundhogs, Punxsutawney Phil, emerged with the same outlook after also seeing his shadow.
However, in Wiarton, Ont., Wiarton Willie — another rodent burdened with the tourism fortunes of a small community — dissented from his peers. He failed to see his shadow, indicating an early spring. He was operating under heavy cloud, with snow and blowing snow in the forecast from Environment Canada.
In Washington, D.C., Potomac Phil was scheduled to make both weather and politic predictions, CBC's John Northcott reported.
And in Winnipeg, lesser-known groundhog Winnipeg Willow was also looking for a shadow.
Last year, only Wiarton Willie was correct when he spotted his shadow.
Neither Shubenacadie Sam nor Winnipeg Willow saw their shadows, thereby forecasting an early spring.
They were wrong. A polar vortex plunged Canada into a brutal winter that dragged on and on.
Environment Canada has already crunched the data for the next month and come up with this prediction: February will be colder than normal across the country.
Senior climatologist Dave Phillips notes Wiarton Willie's overall record is spotty, but says predicting the weather is a tough gig.
"His batting average is not that great… but hey, neither is ours."
Why groundhog weather forecasters are male
The motivation for male groundhogs to stick their necks out at this time of year may not be weather-related at all, the National Geographic reported on its website Sunday.
Many of them do emerge on Groundhog Day, but not to see their shadow.
“At this time of year, males emerge from their burrows to start searching for the females,” Stam Zervanos, emeritus professor of biology at Penn State Berks, in Reading. Pa., told the National Geographic.
“The females come out probably seven days later and stay just outside of their burrow or maybe just inside their burrow.” he said.
Both sexes then return to their separate burrows to think about what they've seen and prepare for warmer mating weather.
Nova Scotia's Shubenacadie Sam came out of his burrow and saw his shadow soon after 8 a.m. AT Monday, which according to tradition means another month and a half of winter weather.
In Pennsylvania, the father of all groundhogs, Punxsutawney Phil, emerged with the same outlook after also seeing his shadow.
However, in Wiarton, Ont., Wiarton Willie — another rodent burdened with the tourism fortunes of a small community — dissented from his peers. He failed to see his shadow, indicating an early spring. He was operating under heavy cloud, with snow and blowing snow in the forecast from Environment Canada.
In Washington, D.C., Potomac Phil was scheduled to make both weather and politic predictions, CBC's John Northcott reported.
And in Winnipeg, lesser-known groundhog Winnipeg Willow was also looking for a shadow.
Last year, only Wiarton Willie was correct when he spotted his shadow.
Neither Shubenacadie Sam nor Winnipeg Willow saw their shadows, thereby forecasting an early spring.
They were wrong. A polar vortex plunged Canada into a brutal winter that dragged on and on.
Environment Canada has already crunched the data for the next month and come up with this prediction: February will be colder than normal across the country.
Senior climatologist Dave Phillips notes Wiarton Willie's overall record is spotty, but says predicting the weather is a tough gig.
"His batting average is not that great… but hey, neither is ours."
Why groundhog weather forecasters are male
The motivation for male groundhogs to stick their necks out at this time of year may not be weather-related at all, the National Geographic reported on its website Sunday.
Many of them do emerge on Groundhog Day, but not to see their shadow.
“At this time of year, males emerge from their burrows to start searching for the females,” Stam Zervanos, emeritus professor of biology at Penn State Berks, in Reading. Pa., told the National Geographic.
“The females come out probably seven days later and stay just outside of their burrow or maybe just inside their burrow.” he said.
Both sexes then return to their separate burrows to think about what they've seen and prepare for warmer mating weather.
