Marmota monax skull; note the white teeth and sharp chisel edge where the incisors meet.
The time has come to practice your Monday Morning Quarterback skills. Not the weekend after the big game, but six weeks post-event. The “prognosticator of prognosticators, the seer of seers” has predicted our weather for the past six weeks. And not only has he done it this year, he’s done it for the past 135 years; now that’s one old gutsy rodent. And he’s made his predictions before a society of men in black coats and bowties, a cult of sorts the “Inner circle” of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club.
4 Predictions On When Spring Will Come To Wyoming
So far the Farmers Almanac for the winter of 2020-21 has not been too far off. Typically, the Almanac is only 25% accurate in their yearly forecasts, but the Almanac got off to a good start this year. If we stick with them we see the weather returning to mild and dry right into spring.
Sorry, but
I m not trusting Punxsutawney Phil to tell me anything. As Live Science reports, the Groundhog Club s records show that Phil has predicted more winter 103 times, and an early spring just 19. Based on data from the Stormfax Almanac, that means Phil s accuracy rate is an abysmal 39 percent.
Contributing Writer
T-R file photo 96 flower baskets hang along Main Street in Marshalltown. These baskets bring pride to the community
As winter’s fury looms over Central Iowa, once again, I remind myself that this is February and what else am I to expect? This winter won’t last forever, and Punxsutawney Phil is just a captive groundhog what does he really know? Phil only works one day a year, and the remainder of his days are in a warm terrarium kept within a library. “Groundhogenes” is exclusively understood by Phil and the president of the Groundhog Club, so perhaps the club president misunderstood? Anyone ever wonder if Phil gets cabin fever? I know I certainly do over the winter months. Nonetheless whether we believe the legend or not, the warm months of spring, and summer will eventually be here. In the meantime, I will look forward to one of my favorite warm weather plans for the downtown.