NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — Staten Island Chuck, the weather-predicting groundhog at the Staten Island Zoo, did not see his shadow on Sunday morning and is forecasting an early spring for 2025.
“We appreciate you all coming out on a cold day,” executive director of the Staten Island Zoo Ken Mitchell said. “Chuck appreciates it, and all our animals here that are Chuck’s neighbors at the Staten Island Zoo and support Chuck all year round.”
Chuck emerged from his habitat at the zoo as a large group of cold-bearing onlookers watched him go against the national grain.
Chuck’s forecast is in opposition to that of Punxsutawney Phil, who saw his shadow at Gobbler’s Knob in Pennsylvania, predicting six more weeks of winter.
According to data from the NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, Chuck is the most accurate of the United States’ Groundhog Day forecasters with an 85% accuracy rate.
Comparatively, Phil—the longest-running weather-predicting groundhog and a beloved national celebrity—is only right 35% of the time. This makes him the 17th most accurate groundhog forecaster of the 19 ranked, according to the data.
“As your chief law enforcement officer, it’s my job to prosecute any and all crimes that occur in our borough and Punxsutawney Phil is lucky to be outside of Staten Island shores because an accuracy rating of 35% is just criminal,” Staten Island District Attorney Michael McMahon said, taking a dig at Phil.
The Staten Island Zoo said that students from Susan E. Wagner High School will be “weather checkers” over the next 45 days to determine if Chuck (or Phil) is accurate.
Chuck's counterparts on Long Island, Holtsville Hal and Malverne Mel, also saw their shadows on Sunday, joining Phil in his prediction of six more weeks of wintry weather.