Staten Island Chuck predicts early spring on Groundhog Day

STATEN ISLAND, New York (WABC) -- Staten Island Chuck did not see his shadow on Groundhog Day and predicts that we will have an early spring.

That contradicts the prognostication made by Punxsutawney Phil. Phil did see his shadow and says we'll have six more weeks of winter.

Chuck made his prediction Thursday morning at the Staten Island Zoo.
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This year's forecast was livestreamed by the zoo as crowds have not been permitted since the start of the pandemic.

According to the Zoo Board of Trustees President William Frew, Chuck has an 80% accuracy rate and has correctly guessed whether there would be an early spring or six more weeks of winter for the past 13 years.
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After the warmest January on record in New York City, and the first day of February ending the city's second longest snowless streak, weather is a hot topic (literally) this season.

Regardless of Chuck's early spring prediction, be ready for frigid temperatures come Friday and Saturday.



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