Buckeye Chuck Says Spring is Coming; Punxsutawney Phil Disagrees, But History Favors Ohio’s Groundhog
MARION, Ohio — Buckeye Chuck, Ohio’s official weather-predicting groundhog, emerged from his burrow Sunday morning at approximately 7:40 a.m. and did not see his shadow, signaling an early spring for the state.
"Buckeye Chuck, Ohio's official weather reporting groundhog, has emerged from his burrow to cloudy skies, which by folklore means spring is just around the corner," announced Paul James of iHeartMedia Marion’s 1490 WMRN to an excited crowd. The annual event drew hundreds of people to Marion, where Buckeye Chuck’s prediction has been a tradition since the 1970s.
The groundhog’s forecast stood in contrast to Pennsylvania’s Punxsutawney Phil, who saw his shadow earlier in the morning, predicting six more weeks of winter. Groundhog Day traditions dictate that if the groundhog sees its shadow, winter will persist, but if no shadow appears, warmer weather is on the way.
Buckeye Chuck’s history dates back to the 1970s when a Marion radio personality took an interest in a local groundhog. The tradition grew in popularity, and in 1979, the Ohio General Assembly declared Buckeye Chuck the state's official weather-predicting groundhog. The tradition has continued for 46 years, drawing spectators from around the country. This year’s event was held at the Marion County Fairgrounds Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
Though Buckeye Chuck currently resides at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, he makes the trip to Marion each year to uphold the beloved tradition. Among the crowd was Matthew Post from Trumbull County, who drove over two hours to witness Chuck’s forecast. For Post, the event held personal significance—he and his family rescued the groundhog, whose real name is Murray, before he was taken in by the museum.
"I'm a proud parent," Post said, watching as Buckeye Chuck made his prediction.
While the accuracy of groundhog predictions is often debated, Buckeye Chuck’s supporters claim he has been correct about 73% of the time, with 30 correct forecasts out of 41 recorded predictions. Comparatively, Punxsutawney Phil has a reported accuracy rate of about 39%. Other groundhogs across the country, including Staten Island Chuck in New York and General Beauregard Lee in Georgia, also participate in the tradition, each with varying levels of success. Staten Island Chuck boasts the highest accuracy rate at 85% over the past two decades.
The origins of Groundhog Day trace back to German settlers in Pennsylvania who brought with them the traditions of Candlemas Day. In Europe, the weather was traditionally predicted by hedgehogs or badgers, but early American settlers replaced them with groundhogs due to their abundance in the region. The tradition has since evolved into an annual celebration in multiple states, featuring local weather-predicting animals and community festivities.
Despite Buckeye Chuck’s prediction of an early spring, Ohioans will have to wait and see if the forecast holds true. The event remains a highlight of winter in Marion, drawing visitors eager to hear whether winter will linger or if warmer days are ahead.
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