STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. (PIX11) – It’s that time of year again when groundhogs poke their heads out to give us a spring forecast but are any of them accurate?
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, New York’s very own Staten Island Chuck is the most accurate in the country.
Chuck, whose real name is Charles G. Hogg, topped NOAA’s list with 85% accuracy in the last 20 years. Punxsutawney Phil in Pennsylvania, on the other hand, came in 17th on the list with only a 35% accuracy rate.
Despite his lower accuracy, Punxsutawney Phil is credited with being the first and longest-running forecaster among groundhogs in the country, according to NOAA.
Groundhog Day has been celebrated in the United States since at least Feb. 2, 1886. Since then, states have gone on to adopt other weather-predicting animals such as ducks, alligators, fish and even a prairie dog statue.
If you can’t wait for Staten Island Chuck’s forecast, NOAA has already shared their own long-term outlook.
Dominique Jack is a digital content producer from Brooklyn with more than five years of experience covering news. She joined PIX11 in 2024. More of her work can be found here.
English (US) ·