Scientists examined groundhogs' ability to predict the arrival of spring. Here’s what the results reveal (with photos).

American researchers conducted an analysis of the reliability of weather forecasts made by the most famous groundhogs in the United States, whose remarkable ability to predict the length of winter has become a cherished tradition in the country. This was reported by AFP.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) concluded that the accuracy rates of weather predictions vary between 25 to 85 percent. The most accurate predictor for the end of winter is Chuck the groundhog from Staten Island, New York.

Meanwhile, the most famous groundhog, Phil, from Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, who gained fame from the 1993 film "Groundhog Day," ranks only 17th in this list with a prediction accuracy of 35%.

Journalists note that this tradition in the United States of using a large rodent to forecast the seasons dates back to a belief among the Pennsylvania Dutch. It states that if a groundhog leaves its burrow, sees its shadow, and returns to its den, it means that winter will last for another six weeks.

At the same time, NOAA and other professional meteorologists are convinced that on Groundhog Day, which will be celebrated on Sunday, February 2, Phil will likely provide a forecast that "will probably not be accurate."

Earlier, it was reported that in 2024, the Kharkiv groundhog Timka predicted the arrival of spring in Ukraine. The four-legged predictor indicated that Ukrainians have had enough of "unstable spring." Besides the warming, he determined that it would help achieve victory in the war.

It was also reported that Groundhog Day was canceled in the USA due to the death of the forecasting rodent. Since most groundhogs are hibernating at this time, city officials were unable to find a replacement for Milltown Mel.