The spring verdict is split.
If you believe Staten Island Chuck, spring will come early this year after he failed to see his shadow after emerging from his enclosure early Thursday from the Staten Island Zoo.
But his more famous counterpart, Punxsutawney Phil, begged to differ. He did see his shadow on Gobbler’s Knob, which means we’ll have to endure six more weeks of winter.
New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer had a message for the furry prognosticator before he stepped out: “I want Chuck to know, you’re safe with us. We’ve got your back.”
Deputy Borough President Ed Burke warmed up a crowd of students from PS 45 by asking groundhog-themed jokes.
“What gives Chuck a lift every spring?” he asked.
“The mayor!” they yelled in unison.
“Not anymore! Out of the mouths of babes, right?! No, it’s a chuck-evator,” Burke said, referring to Mayor de Blasio’s famous fumble three years ago of a Staten Island Chuck, resulting in the animals demise.
He added, optimistically: “Staten Island Chuck is the most accurate groundhog prognosticator. Chuck is correct 80 percent of the time.”
In Pennsylvania, a massive crowd started gathering overnight in Punxsutawney, for pre-dawn festivities before Phil emerged at 7:29 a.m., the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported.
According to a German legend, if a furry rodent sees his shadow on Feb. 2, winter will last another six weeks. If not, spring comes early.
In reality, Phil’s prediction is decided ahead of time by his handlers.
Records going back to 1887 show Phil has predicted more winter 102 times while forecasting an early spring only 18 times. Nine years are missing from the record.
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