Several Canadian groundhogs have made their Groundhog Day predictions, all pointing towards an early spring.
In Quebec’s Gaspésie region, the renowned groundhog did not spot its shadow this morning, signaling a hopeful forecast. Similarly, Ontario’s Wiarton Willie and Nova Scotia’s Lucy the Lobster also predicted an early spring.
Lucy the Lobster, a unique prognosticator, has been kicking off the Nova Scotia Lobster Crawl festival since 2018.
According to tradition, if a groundhog sees its shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter, but an early spring if no shadow is seen.
Amidst singing and dancing, Fred, a popular groundhog in Val-d’Espoir, Que, made his prediction event more festive. Fred’s anticipation for an early spring was symbolized by a sign held up by a child that read “un printemps hâtif” (an early spring) after he was shown to the crowd and placed back in his cabin to search for a shadow.
However, Nova Scotia’s Shubenacadie Sam, one of Canada’s well-known groundhogs, had to cancel her prediction event due to an impending winter storm. The cancellation was announced by the Nova Scotia government to ensure safety on the roads leading to Sam’s home at Shubenacadie Wildlife Park. Despite the cancellation, folklore suggests an early spring due to the absence of a shadow.
Last year, the prognosticating rodents in Canada were divided in their predictions for the arrival of spring.
The Groundhog Day tradition traces back to medieval Europe, where the emergence of hedgehogs from their burrows to catch insects was believed to signify an early spring.