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Published Friday, February 03, 2012 in Local

Georgia, Tennessee groundhogs predict early spring

By Sarah Fay Campbell

The Newnan Times-Herald

Georgia's official groundhog weather prognosticator and the majority of his colleagues around the country agreed with the National Weather Service's Climate Prediction Center when they predicted an early spring on Groundhog Day.

General Beauregard Lee, who lives at the Yellow River Game Ranch in Lilburn, is Georgia's official groundhog.

Lee came out of his "Weathering Heights" mansion around 7:30 Thursday morning -- and didn't see his shadow.

"Beau's" caretakers at Yellow river say he has a 94 percent accuracy rating, according to Associated Press. Each Groundhog Day, Beau wakes up to the ringing of an antique bell. On Thursday, hundreds of spectators were on hand and cheering "Go Beau," according to AP.

Thursday was another beautiful spring-like day, with early morning cloudiness giving way to sunny skies and a high of 68. Even the low felt like spring -- 56 degrees.

Saturday will be more of the same, but the beautiful weather won't continue for the weekend.

The National Weather Service forecasts a high of 63 today, with sunny skies and wind from 5 to 10 mph, with 15 mph gusts.

Saturday will be cloudy, but still warm, with a high near 63. There is a 40 percent chance of showers. Saturday night's forecast is for a 60 percent chance of showers and a low around 49.

Sunday's weather will be mostly cloudy with a high of 64, but with only a 30 percent chance of showers.

Monday will also be mostly cloudy, with a 20 percent chance of showers and a high near 61. It will be colder Monday night, with a forecast low of 39.

Sunny skies return Tuesday, with a high near 59, and Wednesday, with a high near 57. Lows will be in the 30s.

Chattanooga Chuck, resident groundhog at the Tennessee Aquarium, predicted not only an early spring, but plenty of rain.

"So with a couple of brief exceptions, it's more of the same thing, repeated rounds of wet weather and feeling like spring," said Chuck's official forecast report.

Also predicting an early spring were French Creek Freddie of West Virginia, Ohio's Buckeye Church, and New York's State Island Chuck.

Things were different in Pennsylvania, where Punxsutawney Phil reported he did see his shadow, predicting six more weeks of winter there. That's despite warm weather up north -- temperatures were around freezing early morning in Punxsutawney, Pa. Phil's "prediction" came as he emerged from his lair to "see" his shadow on Gobbler's Knob, a tiny hill in the town for which he's named about 65 miles northeast of Pittsburgh.

Normally, the crowds who arrive to see Phil are waiting in much colder weather, around 17 degrees.

Phil's predictions date back to 1886. In that time, he's only not seen his shadow 16 times, according to AP.

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