as February 2nd dawns, Shubenacadie Sam, in Nova Scotia on the east coast is the first groundhog in North America to give his forecast. Sam did not see his shadow, so spring is just around the corner (so to speak)

As February 2nd dawns, Shubenacadie Sam, in Nova Scotia on the east coast is the first groundhog in North America to give his forecast. Sam did not see his shadow, so spring is just around the corner (so to speak)
Photo Credit: Shubenacadie Sam/Twitter

Groundhog Day in Canada once again.

It’s become a tradition, silly sure, but a fun event in the midst of winter.  It’s the annual rodent weather forecasting phenomenon.  Every February 2nd, it’s “groundhog day” in Canada.

Canada being a huge country, there are several groundhog (marmot) prognosticators. The day starts off with Shubenacadie Sam, in a wildlife park in Shubenacadie, Nova Scotia.

The theory, with hit and miss results, is that if a groundhog emerges from his burrow from winter hibernation and sees his shadow on February 2nd, it will be scared and scurry back signaling 6 more weeks of winter. If however the day is overcast and no shadow is seen, the animal will stay out in the theory that spring is not far away.

This year, Sam did not see his shadow so the crowd in Nova Scotia was delighted. Not quite the same situation in Ontario, where the most famous Canadian groundhog lives in the town of Wiarton. The tradition of Wiarton Willie, an albino marmot, began in 1956 as a bit of a barroom joke. However it has grown into a major celebration attracting sizeable crowds to the small Ontario town.

Willier however did see his shadow, so more winter still for Ontario, which has actually been experiencing an abnormally mild January, and early February.

Federal and provincial polticians today with Wiarton Willie, an albino mormot. Willie saw his shadow and predicted six more weeks of winter for Ontario. however, in the background you will see a distinct lack of snow. Much of Ontario and Quebec has seen an unusually mild January and February so far.
Federal and provincial polticians today with Wiarton Willie, an albino mormot. Willie saw his shadow and predicted six more weeks of winter for Ontario. however, in the background you will see a distinct lack of snow. Much of Ontario and Quebec has seen an unusually mild January and February so far. © Patrick Brown, twitter

Tragedy struck further west however. Just days before she was due to appear, the handlers of Winnipeg Willow found her dead in her home at not quite six years old.  The animals usually live to age five or six in the wild, but can live much longer in captivity.  Groundhog events were cancelled there for this year.

The tradition goes back to a Christian festival of medieval Europe where candles were lighted to celebrate  the presentation of Jesus at the temple.  There were also sayings in England that went something like, “”If Candlemas be fair and bright, Come, Winter, have another flight. If Candlemas brings clouds and rain, Go Winter, and come not again.”

The celebration also has an even alder Celtic Celtic celebration of Imbolc, the beginning of spring, which was also set in the first days of February.

Somehow Europeans connected hedgehogs with predictions of the arrival of spring. When European settlers came to Canada, where there are no hedgehogs, the next best thing seemed to have been groundhogs  (marmots).

There is another little problem though.  The tradition comes from Europe where the climate was and is typically much different than in Canada, where the winters tend to last rather longer.

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