World and Nation

Clouds Expected for Groundhog Day

Tomorrow is Groundhog Day, the annual holiday on which the most famous rodent resident of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania predicts whether winter will last another six weeks, or yield to an early spring. The groundhog, known as Punxsutawney Phil, emerges from his burrow each February 2nd. According to legend, if he sees his shadow upon emerging, he will be frightened into running back underground for six more weeks of hibernation. However, cloudy weather is expected for Punxsutawney tomorrow, meaning the groundhog will stay above ground, thereby predicting an early spring. Of course, the official Groundhog Day prediction has only been correct 39% of the time historically, so Phil may not be the best medium-to-long range forecaster.

Meanwhile, here in Boston, strong southwesterly flow will advect warm air over our area today. This pattern will make for breezy, but unseasonably warm conditions, and a pleasant day that would be worth repeating. However, a pair of cold fronts will pass through tonight and tomorrow, bringing the temperatures back down to more normal levels.