Chuck Predicts an Early Spring
At 7:20 this morning Staten Island Chuck (Rodentus forecastivus) crawled out of his hole in the ground and did not see his shadow. How could Chuck not see his shadow on such a clear day? Was it cloudy on Staten Island this morning? Not a cloud could be seen from Gothamist's Harlem abode. According to Newsday, Holtsville Hal also did not see his shadow, but Melville Mel did!
No shadow foretells an early Spring. Despite one blizzard and a couple weeks of cold weather we haven't had much of a Winter. December was much warmer than normal, and our recent cold snap barely compensated for the warm beginning of January. For the month January was 0.8 degrees below normal in Central Park.
Staten Island Chuck's forecast looks pretty accurate for at least the next week. Look for mild, uneventful weather with daily highs in the lower– to mid-40s. The Weather Service and AccuWeather have flip-flopped on tomorrow's precipitation forecast, with the former dropping rain and snow from their prediction.
And in case you're wondering, Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow in Pennsylvania. However, as Gothamist's second-favorite New Yorker named Chuck pointed out last year, Staten Island Chuck's predictions are much more accurate than Phil's.
