Staten Island Chuck Predicts Early Spring, While Punxsutawney Phil Say 6 More Weeks Of Winter
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - Wednesday was an exciting day in the world of weather: Groundhog Day.
Critters all over put their forecasting skill on the line.
CBS2's Vanessa Murdock spoke with New Yorkers to find out their preference: More rounds with Old Man Winter, or early taste of spring.
Three prickly prognosticators took center stage Wednesday morning at their respective burrows: Punxsutawney Phil in Gobblers Knob, Pennsylvania, introducing Lady Edwina - Essex Ed's cousin - at Turtleback Zoo, and Staten Island Chuck at the Staten Island Zoo.
Fans showed up to learn their fate - six more weeks of winter or an early spring.
Phil declared six more weeks of winter. Edwina predicted spring arrives early. As for Chuck, well, Mayor Eric Adams hoped he's got the in.
"I think I speak for all New Yorkers when I say Chuck, please don't see your shadow," Adams said.
Chuck whispered his meteorological musings to the man nearest him, predicting an early spring.
With differing opinions from our most recognizable rodents, who do New Yorkers hope gets the forecast correct?
"The locals should be right. If spring's coming early, that's good news, right? We've been locked inside for years. We need a breath of literal fresh air," one person said.
The Wyszomirska family agree.
"I love spring," Monica Wyszomirska said.
"Spring is really warm," 10-year-old Justin Wyszomirska said.
"Yesterday, I went cross-country skiing in Central Park," one man said.
But despite his love of winter sports, he says, "I'm growing tired of it."
So many who hope Phil got it wrong, but Murdock managed to find two who want the snow to stick around longer.
"I think that would be exciting, more snow. Be really fun. The kids can come out and play just like we're doing now," said Upper West Side resident Vinny Cantalupo, whose daughter also wants more winter.
Unfortunately, winter isn't done just yet, but that doesn't mean Lady Edwina and Chuck got it all wrong.
It seems the most reliable rodent of the three we recognized is Staten Island Chuck. According to the Staten Island Zoo, his prognostication accuracy is 85% while Phil's is closer to 40%. As for Lady Edwina, it's only her first year forecast - a little too early to tell if we can trust her.
