5 Famous Weather Predicting Groundhogs You’ve Never Heard Of

A native of Ohio, Buckeye Chuck began predicting the arrival of spring in the 1970s. He is one of two groundhogs in Ohio known for predicting the arrival of spring on Groundhog Day. Back in 1979, the Ohio General Assembly declared Buckeye Chuck the official state groundhog.

Not every famous groundhog has to be from The United States. Balzac Billy is known as the “Prairie Prognosticator.” He's from the Great White North, calling Balzac, Alberta home.

Take a quick guess where you think General Lee the Groundhog is from. Yup -- the south. General Beauregard Lee resides at the Yellow River Game Ranch in Lilburn, Georgia. He may be the only groundhog with honorary doctorates, receiving the titles of  Doctor of Weather Prognostication and Doctor of Southern Groundology from the University of Georgia. He has been predicting early springs or late winters for many years and has a 94% accuracy rate.

Staten Island Chuck, (his proper name is Charles G. Hogg) is New York City's official groundhog meteorologist, residing in the Staten Island Zoo. The ceremony at the zoo is often attended and officiated by the mayor of New York City.

Wiarton Willie is another famous groundhog from Canada. He currently lives in the community of Wiarton in Bruce County, Ontario. Every February 2, on Groundhog Day, Willie takes part in the local Wiarton Willie Festival. Although the original Wiarton Willie died in 1999, the Wiarton Groundhog Day celebrations continue each year with successors of the original Willie, each referred to as “Wee Willie.”