Happy Groundhog Day, everyone! It’s that whimsical time of year when we turn to the most unconventional of meteorologists: Punxsutawney Phil, Wiarton Willie, and the illustrious Lucy the Lobster. Yes, you read that right – a lobster! These are not your run-of-the-mill weather forecasters; they’re the celebrated North American icons who predict the coming of spring or decree six more weeks of wintry wonderland.

This fine Friday morning, amid the buzz of thousands at Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, Phil emerged from his cozy burrow and, lo and behold, no shadow was seen! According to the age-old lore, this signals that spring is on its merry way. It’s a noteworthy prediction, marking the first early spring call from Phil since 2020, and only the 21st in the history books.

Not to be outdone, Wiarton Willie, under the watchful eyes of a vibrant crowd in Wiarton, Ontario, and alongside South Bruce Peninsula Mayor Jay Kirkland, also gave the cold season the slip – no shadow for Willie, signaling an early spring is upon us. This chorus of early springs was echoed by Shubenacadie Sam in Nova Scotia and Fred La Marmotte in Quebec, standing in furry solidarity with Punxsutawney Phil.

However, for those winter enthusiasts clutching their snow shovels with glee, not all hope is lost. Over 300 kilometres away in Barrington, Nova Scotia, Lucy the Lobster, with her impressive six pounds and 25 years of wisdom, crawled from the ocean depths and cast a shadow, heralding six more weeks of winter. Amid a mixed reaction from the crowd, with some boos and a few cheers, one enthusiastic spectator celebrated the extended lobster season with a joyous “Yay, more lobster season!”

#GroundhogDay #CandlemasDay #Punxsutawney #PunxsutawneyPhil #WiartonWillie #WoodstockWillie #LucyTheLobster #FredLaMarmotte #ShubenacadieSam #SeerOfSeers #SageOfSages #WeatherProphetExtraordinary #PrognosticatorOfPrognosticators

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