Groundhog Day weather predictions have been going on for centuries. The following information is from the book “Weather Wisdom” by Albert Lee (ISBN 0-385-01770-7). The date February 2 originally was known as Candlemas Day which began in the early days of Catholicism as the feast of the purification of Mary. This date for was believed to be a “weather breeder”, a period of change in which future weather patterns are set.
February 2 in our neck of the woods was a clear sunny day. So according to weather folklore,
“If Candlemas Day be fine and clear,
We shall have winter half the year.”
With our winter so far being very warm and pleasant for the most part, guess we are due for winter weather. So this probably means spring will be colder than normal.