Tomorrow is Groundhog (Marmota monax) Day! We all know the basics – if the groundhog sees his shadow that means we have six more weeks of winter and if he does not we will have an early spring.
While bearing in mind these rodents don’t have meteorological degrees and cannot move the sun to change our seasons it seems that the basic historical notion is rooted in weather observation. If the sun is shining we are likely under high pressure continuing cold or average temperatures and dry conditions, like much of what we had recently. Clouds obscuring the sun entirely are often due to low pressure systems that may be bringing a change in air masses and temperatures. This February appears to be a volatile month of weather, as it often is, for much of the East with varying temperatures and a few major storm possibilities on the horizon. But I guess we’ll see what the groundhog has to say…
