Phil Says Spring is Right Around the Corner!

Phil's official forecast as read 2/2/07 at 7:28 a.m. at Gobbler's Knob:

El Nino has caused high winds, heavy snow, ice and freezing temperatures in the west.

Here in the East with much mild winter weather we have been blessed.

Global warming has caused a great debate.

This mild winter makes it seem just great.

On this Groundhog Day we think of one thing.

Will we have winter or will we have spring?

On Gobbler's Knob I see no shadow today.

I predict that early spring is on the way.

Above is a copy of the official press release from Punxsutawney Phil the nation's official weather groundhog in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, who, upon failing to see his shadow upon emerging from his winter sleep, made the prediction of an early spring and left it to his handlers to craft the text and supporting scientific evidence while he had breakfast.

Meanwhile, there has been no word from Canada as of this writing as their official groundhog, Wiarton Willie, an albino groundhog in the Ontario town of Wiarton, died last spring following an illness. A successor has either not been found to replace him or news reports on his successor's prediction have not yet hit the Internet.

For more on the Groundhog Day traditions and its predecessor, Candlemas click the links for my hubs on these two holidays.