Long Island’s two groundhogs once again bucked the prognostications of their furry friends to the west by predicting an early spring.
Malverne Mel and Holtsville Hal both did not see their shadows early Groundhog Day, which fell on Superbowl Sunday this year.
New York City’s Staten Island Chuck agreed with the nation’s most famous groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil. Both saw their shadows, meaning they’re calling for six more weeks of winter.
Hal and Mel both appear to have been proven correct last year while Phil has reportedly made a few bad calls in recent years.
The local rodents’ forecast is welcome this Groundhog Day, which followed an especially wintery January that featured several arctic blasts, record low temperatures and a string of snow storms, including one that blanketed parts of Suffolk in more than a foot of snow.
In more scientific short-term forecasts, the National Weather Service is predicting light-to-moderate snow Sunday night into Monday on LI that may start as a wintry mix before changing to all snow overnight. More snow or freezing rain is possible on Wednesday as well, the agency said.
