New York’s Staten Island. Who is this Chuck from Staten Island? And why is there so much commotion in January?
Island Staten Chuck, sometimes known as Charles G. Hogg, is the groundhog that lives in the borough. He resides in West Brighton at the Staten Island Zoo. Additionally, he has a strong track record of accurately forecasting whether we will see an early spring or six more weeks of gloomy, windy winter.
including the early spring forecast from the previous year. For the past fifteen years, Chuck’s long winter or early spring forecasts have come true. He was last proven incorrect in 2009, the year he bit former Mayor Michael Bloomberg. (Notably, kids at PS 45 who kept tabs on Chuck’s forecast in 2017 unofficially stated that he was incorrect that year.)
However, there is no doubting Chuck’s remarkable track record in terms of accuracy.
particularly in contrast to Punxsutawney Phil, a famous prognosticator from the Pennsylvania Punxsutawney Groundhog Zoo.
Every year on February 2, the two compete for correct predictions.
According to the Staten Island Zoo, Chuck is the one who gets it correct the majority of the time. According to the Zoo, Chuck has an accuracy percentage of 80% as of 2024, which goes all the way back to 1981, when he started working there.
By many accounts, Phil is much less accurate.
The StormFax Weather Almanac reports that over 135 years, the groundhog, who has been making forecasts since 1887 from Gobbler’s Knob in Western Pennsylvania, has an overall accuracy rate of 39%. (Groundhogs are not very long-lived. Younger groundhogs have replaced Phil and Chuck over the decades when the senior groundhogs have died because they can survive in captivity for up to 14 years.)
Chuck and Phil both called for an early spring in 2024, despite their prior disagreements.
For Chuck, there was no shadow for the eighth consecutive year.
Other groundhogs across the nation also attempt to forecast the advent of spring.
Prediction ceremony
The resident prognosticator at the Staten Island Zoo is currently prepared for his yearly Groundhog Day event.
The public is welcome to attend the free event on Sunday, February 2 at the Zoo. The ceremony will begin at 8 a.m., with gates opening to the public at 7:30 a.m. At 8:30 a.m., Chuck is supposed to give his prediction.
Ken Mitchell, executive director of the Zoo; Danny Lee, representing Citizens Bank, this year’s event sponsor; political officials and dignitaries; and local schoolchildren, including those from Susan E. Wagner High School, will join Chuck. James McKeon and Cara S. Liander will emcee the ceremony this year.
Additionally, you may watch it live on the Zoo’s website.
The prediction will also be covered by SILive.com and the Staten Island Advance. The event will be streamed live on our Facebook page.
You may watch Punxsutawney Phil’s prediction online if you’re interested.Around six in the morning is when the livestream will start.
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