MARION, OH (MARION COUNTY NOW)—Randy Bigley from Marion County Now, along with Buckeye Chuck Ceremony host and local radio personality Paul James, discussed the significance of Groundhog Day and its local traditions.
“Groundhog Day is significant because it marks the midpoint between the beginning of winter and the first day of spring,” said James. “This day, known as Candlemas, is when the groundhog, or Buckeye Chuck in Ohio, emerges from his burrow to predict the next six weeks of winter.”
Buckeye Chuck, Ohio’s official weather-predicting groundhog since 1979, thanks to the Ohio General Assembly and Charlie Evers, has a 73% accuracy rate. This year, Buckeye Chuck emerged to a cloudy day, indicating an early spring. “He stays out, plays around, go finds a mate, and that means Spring is on the corner,” James explained.
Buckeye Chuck has made 41 official predictions since 1970, with a few years missed for various reasons. “In the last 10 years, he’s been right 7 out of 10 times, which is pretty good,” James noted. “He’s more accurate than Punxsutawney Phil, who has a 33% accuracy rate but has been making predictions since the 1800s.”
Buckeye Chuck resides at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, where visitors can meet him. “A big thank you to the museum for housing Buckeye Chuck,” said James. “His name is Murray, and he’s an animal you can visit.”
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