NOAA study ranks Groundhogs for weather forecast accuracy

On By Littum

NOAA released a study of Groundhog Day foresings and found that Punxsutawney Phil was the 17th most accurate Groundhog in the United States. File Photo by George M Powers/Upi
NOAA released a study of Groundhog Day foresings and found that Punxsutawney Phil was the 17th most accurate Groundhog in the United States. File Photo by George M Powers/Upi | License photo

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29 January (UPI) – The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released a study that analyzed the annual prognosis for weather -expensive earth dogs and found the most famous, Punxsutawney Phil, not even broken top 10.

Noaa released the study At the forefront of Groundhog Day, which falls on Sunday, to analyze which earth dogs – along with a prairie dog statue and a turtle – were the most accurate to predict whether spring would come early or late.

Only earth dogs that have predicted the weather for at least 20 years were included in the study, and each had to be active from February 2nd, 2024.

The most accurate weatherpredictor for the flock turned out to be the State of Island Chuck, which exactly predicted the arrival of the spring 85% of the time.

The rest of the top five were Georgia’s general Beauring Lee of 80%; A Wyoming Prairie Dog -Statue named Lil Lil by 75%; A mythical West Virginia Groundhog named Concord Charlie, 65%; And Illinois’ Gertie The Groundhog with 65 percent.

The most famous weather -predicting Groundhog, Pennsylvania’s Punxsutawney Phil, was down to 17th place, after predicting the weather exactly 35% of the time.

“A beloved national celebrity, the legend, says he has prophesied when spring would arrive from his gap on Gobbler’s dial since 1887,” said Noaa. “How has he lived so long? The answer is simple … ‘Groundhog Nog’, who was fed to him every fall at Punxsutawney’s annual Groundhog Picnic!”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzf3bj3jvuk