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Feb 2 : Currituck Chuck sees shadow

Six more weeks of winter ?

Marmota monax – aka groundhog, woodchuck, whistle pig, gopher

Famed meteorological prognosticator “Currituck Chuck” spotted his shadow ealier this morning from the entrance of his burrow located on the ditchbank across from the Currituck Courthouse – indicating six more weeks of winter.

Groundhog Day – celebrated on Feb 2 of each year – is a popular tradition observed in Canada and the United States.

The observation derives from the Pennsylvania Dutch superstition that if a groundhog emerging from its burrow on this day sees its shadow due to clear weather, it will retreat to its den and winter will persist for six more weeks. If it does not see its shadow because of cloudiness, spring will arrive early.

The tradition remains popular in modern times; however, according to Live Science magazine, no consistent correlation has been found between a groundhog seeing its shadow or not and the subsequent arrival time of spring-like weather.

The weather lore was brought from German-speaking areas where the badger is the forecasting animal. This appears to be an enhanced version of the lore that clear weather on the Christian Holy Day of Candlemas forebodes a prolonged winter.

The groundhog (Marmota monax) – also called woodchuck, whistle pig, marmot and gopher is the largest member of the ground squirrel family. The species name “monax” is derived from the Algonquian name for the woodchuck which meant “digger“.

Groundhogs can often be spotted in open fields along Curritucks roadways. Keep an eye out for Currituck Chuck, who resides in the field between the Episcopal Church and Crawford Volunteer Fire Department Station on Caratoke Highway in Currituck.

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