Feb 2 Is All About Groundhogs

STAMFORD  – Will the groundhog see his shadow today, Friday, Feb. 2? The sun wasn't coming out until the end of the reek, so maybe he will see his shadow. The prediction for the immediate weather is warming trend that will likely melt last Sunday's snowstorm. 

The six inches of snow that fell in the Stamford area, helped winter sports enthusiasts, with snowmobiles, cross country skies, down hill skiing and other snow sports finally getting underway. Greene County got as much as 10 inches in some places, better yet for the skiers there.

The Central Catskills Trail Association is hoping the snow stays and that we get more so they can host the second Mile Hill Snow Drags on Feb. 24. But, a lot of weather can happen between now and then. The small stockpile of snow they had was diminished by last week's unseasonably warm temperatures. The snowmobile drags are held in the field across from Eklund Farm Machinery, just off state Route 23. They had to truck in snow last year and this year they have been attempting to stockpile some snow sooner. It's a great boost for the local snowmobile club and for snowmobile racers. The races will begin at 11 a.m. with registration beginning at 8:30 a.m..

It's time for the groundhog to come out of his winter den to predict how many more weeks of winter are left. Punxsutawney Phil predicts six more weeks most of the time, probably because the winter solstice lasts until March 19 at 11:06 p.m. when the vernal equinox, or spring, begins. That's asix weeks after Groundhog Day on Feb. 2.

The weathermen on television last night were predicting freezing daytime temperatures and cloudy days for much of the week, which will leave the weather unchanged until late next week. My iPhone is saying it will still be around 34 degrees with a 50 percent chance of rain or snow today, depending on the temperature. It gets warmer at the end of next week with daytime temperatures in the low to mid-30s through mid-February. However, the Farmers Almanac predicted the coldest periods in early to mid-January and early to mid-February. Our coldest temperatures occurred in mid-January. There is some snow in the forecast.

Daylight is lasting longer each day and as we move toward the summer solstice on June 20.

Equinox means equal night. The vernal equinox arrives in March and the second one comes in the fall, or the autumnal equinox (Sept. 21). Daylight and nighttime are each 12 hours. 

When the groundhog sees his shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter. If the groundhog doesn't see his shadow, spring will arrive early. We have had his prediction since Feb. 2, 1887 with the first groundhog day in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. It has grown to become a full day of special, light hearted events to celebrate the furry creature and his prediction. It is now a tourist destination in the middle of winter.

It has a new twist this year. The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) have erected billboards and is advocating that the use of a real woodchuck be curtailed. On its website it states: "Groundhogs are vulnerable prey animals who naturally avoid humans and enjoy digging, foraging, and hibernating in burrows that can span many acres, but the Punxsutawney groundhogs are displayed year-round in the basement of the local library. On February 2, they’re exposed to the lights of flashing cameras, human handling, confusion, and stress. At past Groundhog Day events across the country, terrified animals have been dropped or  have bitten humans."

The tradition of Groundhog Day was begun by the Dutch settlers in Pennsylvania. Some disagree with PETA, believing the woodchuck underneath the library has life pretty good. It doesn't have to forage for food, or dig a expansive burrow. The one day of flashing lights isn't so terrible and besides, no one is eating them during the celebrations anymore. I'm not sure the woodchuck on the hillside in my back 40 enjoys digging his burrow and when he is out eating, he is under constant stress, keeping an eye out for predators. Sometimes he has to barrel for cover, just in the nick of time and my woodchuck has had to add eagles  to the list of things he is prey for. Fortunately, he is no longer a target for pot shots from woodchuck hunters.

Groundhog Day is an event  that has continued for 136 years and scientists will tell you it's all a bunch of bull. Phil is only right about 40 percent of the time. Since 1887, the groundhog has predicted an early spring just 20 times. Without any sun today, it is likely he won't see his shadow and spring weather will arrive when it arrives. In this neck of the woods, six more weeks may be a shorter winter.

Happy Groundhog Day!