Groundhog Day, a tradition that has captivated the hearts of many, centers around the idea of these furry critters predicting the weather. While Punxsutawney Phil, a renowned groundhog from Pennsylvania, has long been in the spotlight for his weather predictions, a recent ranking by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has cast some doubt on his accuracy.

Phil, known for his shadow-based predictions, found himself at the bottom of the list in NOAA’s grading of groundhogs, coming in 17th out of 19 critters. Surprisingly, even taxidermized animals were found to be more adept at forecasting an early spring than Phil. The only living animal he managed to outperform was Mojave Max, a tortoise from Nevada with a meager 25% accuracy rate.

In contrast, Staten Island Chuck, also known as Charles G. Hogg, emerged as a shining star in the weather-predicting realm. Chuck, a groundhog hailing from New York City, boasts an impressive 85% accuracy rate, making him the top contender on NOAA’s list. Despite his stellar predictions, Chuck’s behavior has been less than perfect, with incidents like biting the former Mayor Michael Bloomberg and rubbing shoulders with Mayor Bill de Blasio.

Georgia’s General Beauregard Lee and Wyoming’s Lander Lil, a non-living animal, secured the second and third spots on NOAA’s list with accuracy rates of 80% and 75%, respectively. Punxsutawney Phil, with a dismal 35% accuracy rate, found himself trailing behind even taxidermized groundhogs in the rankings.

While Phil may not be the most precise weather predictor, his legacy as the longest-running weather-forecasting groundhog in the United States cannot be ignored. Since 1887, Phil has been emerging from his burrow on Gobler’s Knob, captivating audiences with his predictions. The secret to Phil’s longevity? Some attribute it to the special “groundhog nog” fed to him each fall at Punxsutawney’s annual Groundhog Picnic.

So how do these critters qualify for NOAA’s prestigious weather-predicting ‘groundhogs’ list? According to NOAA, to make the cut, these prognosticating animals must have a track record of at least 20 years and be actively making predictions as of February 2, 2024. The accuracy of their predictions over the past two decades is taken into account, using March temperature averages from 2005 to 2024.

As we eagerly anticipate the next Groundhog Day on February 2, 2025, all eyes will be on Punxsutawney Phil to see if he sees his shadow once again. Will he herald six more weeks of winter, or will he surprise us all with an early spring prediction? Only time will tell, but one thing is for sure – the whimsical world of groundhog weather predictions never fails to capture our imagination.