Column: If the groundhog is right, we'll have an early spring

John Boyette, Aiken Standard, S.C.
·3 min read

Feb. 3—Well, it's official. We will have an early spring.

While some of us were still sleeping or getting ready for work, Punxsutawney Phil did not see his shadow Friday in the traditional Groundhog Day ceremony in Pennsylvania.

If he had seen it, according to tradition, we would have six more weeks of winter. But he didn't, and we should get some warmer weather sooner rather than later.

If you've lived in these parts for any length of time, you know that almost anything is possible. February is traditionally our worst weather month with the great snow event of 1973 and Winter Storm Pax in 2014, which brought crippling ice, both occurring in that month.

We've also had plenty of warm days in January and February, and this year has been no exception. I think one week we dipped into the teens and the next we were pushing 70.

Go figure.

As a weekend golfer, I tend to watch the weather like a hawk. Modern technology allows us to see the weather forecast in great detail on our smart phones, but even that is not foolproof. Take last Saturday, for example: The extended forecast called for rain that morning, and I pondered whether I would hit the links on Friday night.

But when I woke up Saturday morning, the forecast had shifted and there was only a small chance of precipitation. I decided to chance it and only experienced a few sprinkles. My takeaway is that the forecasts are generally a few hours off when it comes to rain. Plus, everyone knows that it never rains on the golf course.

According to the Associated Press, Punxsutawney Phil predicts we will have an extended winter far more often than he does spring. But we can take solace that his accuracy rate is around 40 percent. (Insert your TV meteorologist joke here.)

Closer to home, Georgia's groundhog — named Gen. Beauregard Lee — came out Friday morning and didn't see his shadow either. So that's two predictions for an early spring.

The tradition of Groundhog Day goes back many centuries to Europe, according to the Associated Press. It celebrates the midpoint between the winter solstice and the spring equinox.

The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club goes back to the late 1800s, and many other states have followed suit. The movie "Groundhog Day" starring Bill Murray in the early 1990s also popularized the tradition.

For some reason, I've never seen "Groundhog Day." Nor did I see Murray's "Ghostbusters" movies. Which is surprising, since I am a big fan of "Caddyshack" and "Stripes." Those are two of my favorite comedies, which is not surprising since I was a teenager when they came out.

But I digress. What we really want around here is good weather for our Triple Crown and equestrian events and the Masters Tournament.

I don't care what Phil and Beauregard have to say: I never plant any spring flowers until after Masters. If history holds, you can count on some cool weather, maybe even a little frost, during the first full week of April.

Hopefully my forecast is a little more reliable.

Thanks for reading.