Canada

Photo: The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

Wiarton, Ontario, Mayor John Close listens to groundhog Wiarton Willie's weather prediction in Wiarton on Saturday February 2. The groundhog prognosticator predicted an early end to winter. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Frank Gunn

It's Groundhog Day, the day millions of North Americans turn to weather prognosticating rodents in the hope they'll call for an early spring.

And Wiarton Willie, Canada's most celebrated of all its furry forecasters is predicting an early spring.

Hundreds bundled up this morning to watch Willie emerge, many slipping on woodchuck masks or toting figurines of the famous rodent.

Folklore has it that if a groundhog sees its shadow on Groundhog Day it'll flee back to its burrow, heralding six more weeks of winter, and if it doesn't, it means spring's just around the corner. Willie did not see his shadow this morning.

On the East Coast, Nova Scotia's Shubenacadie Sam was the first out of his burrow this morning to make his prediction to a worldwide audience via webcam, and sadly for those hoping for an early spring, the pride of Shubenacadie did see his shadow.

So did Quebec's groundhog, Fred, who gave his forecast in front of a church in Val d'Espoir, a community in the Gaspesie region.

Still to come is Winnipeg Willow's forecast. She'll be visiting a Mountain Equipment Co-op store to make her prediction.

Stateside, Pennsylvania's Punxsutawney Phil is generally regarded as the groundhog of record and his prediction this morning is for an early spring.