After being found wandering around backyards in Oro-Medonte, a small pug-nosed albino groundhog has made one of the biggest weather predictions in Canada: Six more weeks of winter.
The successor to Wiarton Willie saw his shadow in front of thousands of people on Friday morning, signalling a long winter.
Willie joins Punxsutawney Phil, who made the same prediction. But Shubenacadie Sam is predicting an early spring.
“Wee Willie,” as the town referred to him back in September, has taken over the role as head prognosticator after Wiarton Willie died at the age of 13.
Crystal Wallace and her sister discovered the new Willie in their Oro Station backyard in 2015. Back then, they called him “Zookie.”
Wallace’s sister contacted the Town of South Bruce Peninsula to tell them about the then four-month-old groundhog. The town later recruited Zookie as Willie’s understudy.
The first day of spring is March 20, if you believe the calendar.
