Groundhog Day: Canadian celebrity groundhogs come up with split decision

Groundhog Day: Shubenacadie Sam predicts 6 more weeks of winter Monday, Feb. 2, 2015.

Two of Canada's celebrity groundhogs have come up with a split decision today on the long-range weather forecast.

Ontario's Wiarton Willie did not see his shadow when he emerged from his home this morning, predicting an early spring.

In Nova Scotia, Shubenacadie Sam saw his shadow when he emerged from his burrow, which according to groundhog folklore means six more weeks of winter.

Last year, only Willie was correct when he spotted his shadow.

Neither Shubenacadie Sam nor the lesser-known Winnipeg Willow saw theirs, thereby forecasting an early spring.

They were wrong. A polar vortex plunged Canada into a brutal winter that dragged on and on.

Environment Canada has already crunched the data for the next month and come up with this prediction: February will be colder than normal across the country.

Senior climatologist Dave Phillips notes Wiarton Willie's overall record is spotty, but says predicting the weather is a tough gig.

"His batting average is not that great... but hey, neither is ours."

In the United States, handlers of Pennsylvania's famous groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, say that rodent has also forecast six more weeks of winter.

Members of the top hat-wearing Inner Circle announced the "forecast" just before 7:30 a.m. today.

In reality, Phil's prediction is decided ahead of time by the group on Gobbler's Knob, the tiny hill in the town for which he's named about 100 kilometres northeast of Pittsburgh.