Staten Island Chuck shyly stays put in his log home, predicting an early spring during the annual Groundhog Day prediction at the Staten Island Zoo on Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025.
Photo by Paul Frangipane
The groundhog says it’s official: New York City can expect an early spring!
This morning, Staten Island Chuck emerged from his habitat at the Staten Island Zoo to take part in the annual tradition of Groundhog Day.
According to beloved tradition, if a groundhog sees his shadow upon waking up on Groundhog Day, there will be six more weeks of winter weather, and if he doesn’t see it, spring will come early. This year, Chuck did not see his shadow, predicting an early spring.
“This is the 44th annual Groundhog Day. We appreciate you all coming out on a cold day. Chuck appreciates it, and all our animals here that are Chuck’s neighbors at the Staten Island Zoo and support Chuck all year round,” said Ken Mitchell, Executive Director of the Staten Island Zoo.
Staten Island Chuck shyly stays put in his log home, predicting an early spring during the annual Groundhog Day prediction at the Staten Island Zoo on Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025.Photo by Paul Frangipane
Staten Island Chuck’s Pennsylvania counterpart, Punxsutawney Phil, disagreed with Chuck, predicting six more weeks of winter after seeing his shadow. The pair of hogs often disagree, though in 2024, they both predicted an early spring.
“It’s an honor to represent Citizens as we celebrate Chuck, the most reliable forecast in their business,” said Danny Lee, Tri-State Metro Market Acting Retail Banking Director of Citizens Bank, who sponsored the day’s events. “At Citizens, we’re proud to be rooted in the community just like Chuck, and like him, we’re always looking ahead. We value the neighborhoods we serve, supporting the organization’s people, and yes, even the groundhogs that make them thrive. This tradition is uniquely special to New York City and Staten Island, and we’re thrilled to be part of it.”
Chuck’s Long Island counterparts, Holtsville Hal and Malverne Mel, both saw their shadows this year, also predicting six more weeks of winter.
Though animal rights activists and PETA raised concerns about using a live groundhog, Malverne Mel went as usual for a Groundhog’s Day prediction.
Staten Island Chuck predicts an early spring during the annual Groundhog Day prediction at the Staten Island Zoo on Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025.Photo by Paul Frangipane
Staten Island Chuck’s accuracy
According to the Staten Island Zoo, Chuck has been the more accurate of the furry weathermen when it comes to Groundhog Day predictions. The Zoo claims that Chuck has been correct over 80% of the time, having predicted correctly 26 times in the past 32 Groundhog Days.
“Chuck makes my job a little bit easier every day. I just look at what he’s going to forecast. His accuracy is a little better than mine,” said Jessica Pash, meteorologist for Con Edison. “I do get paid regardless of whether it’s correct or not, but Chuck has an accuracy of over 80%, which is pretty impressive, right?”
This week’s forecast
Over the next couple of days, New Yorkers can expect temperatures in the low to mid-40s with partly to mostly cloudy skies, with an unseasonably warm day on Thursday, Feb. 6, reaching 50 degrees with some showers.
Staten Island Chuck shyly stays put in his log home, predicting an early spring during the annual Groundhog Day prediction at the Staten Island Zoo on Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025.Photo by Paul Frangipane
