Groundhog Day  Feb. 2, 2024

Curious about how long this winter will last? The superstitious can take a cue from Groundhog Day"s forecast based on whether the titular animal sees his shadow. On February 2, the well-known prognosticator, Wiarton Willie in Wiarton, Ontario, emerges from his burrow to predict the arrival of spring. The outcomes? Six more weeks of winter or early spring. Once the prediction is made, it is read to the crowd, who cheer Willie on either way. The original Willie passed away in 1999, and since then, the celebration has been held with a successor to the original Willie. A relative of Willie"s, the Alpine marmot seen here today, has its own winter tradition of stocking up on food to prepare for a long hibernation. Let"s hope that Willie doesn"t see his shadow so we can exit our own.

© Scacciamosche/Getty Images

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