Woody, Michigan's Official Groundhog, Issues Apology
On the first day of spring, the weather forecast calls for snow, snow and more snow.
It's the first day of spring, and Woody, Michigan's Official Groundhog, who resides at the Howell Conference & Nature Center, has faced the fact that this year's seasonal prediction was incorrect.
According to the National Weather Service, the forecast for Wednesday night is more snow showers and a low around 19 degrees. Thursday's forecast shows a 50 percent chance of snow showers, cloudy, with a high near 24 degrees. Not your average spring weather.
Like all female woodchuck prognosticators, Woody is not afraid to admit when she's wrong. And although she correctly picked the Baltimore Ravens to win the Super Bowl, she is avoiding March Madness in it's entirety.
Some observers recalled Woody's hesitation that morning, when she exited her house, went back in, then came out again just in time to indicate an early spring. One witness to the prediction noted, "Some female woodchucks exhibit indecisiveness, and it was clearly on display that morning."
However, even if she may have been wrong this year, Woody's predictions have been spot on more often than not.
| Year | Prediction | Right/Wrong |
| 1999 | Shadow/Late Spring | Right |
| 2000 | No Shadow/Early Spring | Right |
| 2001 | No Shadow/Early Spring |
Wrong |
| 2002 | Shadow/Late Spring | Right |
| 2003 | Shadow/Late Spring | Right |
| 2004 | No Shadow/Early Spring | Right |
| 2005 | No Shadow/Early Spring | Wrong |
| 2006 | Shadow/Late Spring | Right |
| 2007 | No Shadow/Early Spring | Right |
| 2008 | No Shadow/Early Spring | Wrong |
| 2009 | Shadow/Late Spring | Right |
| 2010 | Shadow/Late Spring | Right |
| 2011 | Shadow/Late Spring | Righto |
| 2012 | No Shadow/Early Spring | Right |
| 2013 | No Shadow/Early Spring | Wrong |
Source: press release
Was Woody on the fence in her prediction this year? You be the judge. Watch the video above and tell us what you think in the comments.
DG
8:49 pm on Thursday, March 21, 2013
It was not necessary to write this piece with a sexist tone.
AM
9:49 pm on Thursday, March 21, 2013
Agreed. It's 2013. Time to get with the times. You can be funny without being stuck in the 1930's.