Did Buckeye Chuck see his shadow on Groundhog Day?

MARION, Ohio (WCMH) -- Ohio's official weather forecasting groundhog, Buckeye Chuck, poked out of his burrow this Groundhog Day after last year's event organizers opted for a taxidermy groundhog.

Chuck delivered his 44th official forecast for the remainder of winter at about 7:40 a.m. on Friday at the studios of AM-1490 WMRN Radio in Marion, predicting an early spring when he did not see his shadow. The event was aired live WMRN and on Chuck's Facebook page. Chuck's predication echoed Punxsutawney Phil in Philadelphia, who also did not see his shadow.

Friday's live event marked Chuck's in-person return since Groundhog Day in 2022. Last year, organizers at WMRN displayed a taxidermy groundhog after Chuck "would not come out" of his burrow, but still said he saw his shadow. The prediction matched Phil who also saw his shadow, meaning six more weeks of winter.

The station did not confirm whether using a taxidermy groundhog was in response to backlash from animal rights nonprofit PETA, who claimed using a live groundhog was unethical. PETA then rented a billboard across the street from the radio station that read, "I'm ME, not a meteorologist. It's time to chuck this tired old 'tradition.'"

Since 1979, Chuck has been Ohio's official groundhog and is an animal ambassador residing at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, behind the studios of WMRN. Chuck is 80% accurate in correctly predicting the second half of weather in the Buckeye State, while Phil is 40% accurate.