Okanagan Okie makes chilling prediction at Vernon's Allan Brooks Nature Centre

Photo: Wayne Emde

With the cold snap hitting Vernon, it should come as no surprise that the city’s favourite groundhog is predicting more winter to come.

After seeing his shadow Sunday morning at the Allan Brooks Nature Centre, Okanagan Okie officially proclaimed there’d be six more weeks of winter.

It's the fourth year of the prediction from the ABNC. This year the ABNC’s newest staff member Okie the Mascot made the prediction, instead of his little cousin, the hand puppet little Okie.

Small Okie is retiring and the big mascot will now be taking over. The mascot handed a proclamation to Vernon’s Mayor Victor Cumming, as is tradition.

“My faithful followers, I clearly see a perfect shadow, a perfect shadow of me – no not of me, of Okie. Six more weeks of winter it shall be!” Read Cumming to the crowd.

The nature centre reminded the crowd that it won’t be opening up until the spring, but said the event is a way to bring spirit to the community.