Punxsutawney Phil predicted early spring, but will he be right? Here are WA’s chances
America’s most famous — or maybe infamous — groundhog popped his head out Friday, keeping the onlooking members of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club still with bated breath. Whatever happened next with the revered rodent would swing the direction of the weather for the next six weeks.
Or so the legend goes.
Each year on Feb. 2, Punxsutawney Phil is transported to his spiritual home at Gobbler’s Knob in Pennsylvania and placed in his burrow. If Phil leaves his burrow and sees his shadow, we’re in for six more weeks of winter; if he doesn’t, warm weather and spring birds are just around the corner.
Good news for spring lovers, bad news for those who love the cold: Phil didn’t see his shadow.
Does that mean much? Not if you pay attention to the weather and place faith in the scientists studying it. Their studies show that the groundhog has not been right even half the time.
This is the first year that Phil has predicted an early spring since 2020 — in fact, he’s predicted a long winter 106 times out of the 127 times he’s been called upon.
But will Phil be right this year? And what about his past predictions? Let’s take a look.
Will spring come early to Washington this year?
According to the Climate Prediction Center, Phil might be onto something — much of the United States will experience above-normal temperatures over the next month, with most of the South and Central Plains also expecting above-average precipitation.
Washington is forecast a 40-50% chance of below-average precipitation and a 40-60% chance of above-average temperatures over the next month.
National Weather Service meteorologist Samantha Borth told McClatchy News that Washington could see rain this week as moisture from a strong atmospheric river works inland. This weekend, over 4 inches of rain fell from the same weather system in parts of California.
“There’s some moisture coming up from that system, but the brunt of that is really in California,” Borth said. “So that’s some of the showers you’re going to see (Monday) into (Tuesday).”
Borth also expects El Niño conditions to last into the spring.
“We have an El Nino too which is generally associated with warmer conditions versus the cold,” Borth said. “That being said, it kind of depends on the weather pattern.”
This story was originally published February 6, 2024 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Punxsutawney Phil predicted early spring, but will he be right? Here are WA’s chances."
