Prognosticating rodents 3-1 for prolonged winter

Good grief! Groundhog Day again! Walt got up at the crack of dawn, compiled this report on the festivities, then sealed up the crack and went back to bed. 

North America's famous prognosticating rodents were split over spring’s arrival on Groundhog Day.

In rural Pennsylvania, hard by the Moshannon State Forest, Punxsutawney Phil, the famous groundhog weather watcher, was pulled from his warm burrow this morning and saw his shadow, predicting six more weeks of winter.

On the other side of the World's Longest Undefended Border (TM), Ontario's Wiarton Willie, pictured, reportedly did not see his shadow, which is good news for people tired of wintry weather. But Nova Scotia's Shubenacadie Sam and Québec's Fred la Marmotte saw their shadows, predicting a long winter ahead. 

Tradition holds that if a groundhog doesn't see its shadow on Groundhog Day, springlike weather will soon arrive. But if a shadow appears, winter's icy grip won't let go for quite some time. Walt places more trust in Wiarton Willie [because he's white? Ed.], but cannot overlook the majority opinion -- 3 to 1 for more winter. Back to sleep.