Groundhog Day 2017: Did Chuckles, the Connecticut State Groundhog, See His Shadow?

MANCHESTER, CT — Connecticut's State Groundhog on Thursday emerged from her burrow, failed to see her shadow and predicted an early spring.

And Manchester Mayor Jay Moran credited it to a thin layer of clouds that rolled in overnight.

"The skiers might not like this, but we're going to have an early spring," Moran said as Chuckles VIII, the official State Groundhog from the Lutz Children's Museum, whispered in his ear her annual prediction.

Every sitting mayor in Manchester is issued a groundhog translation guide when he or she takes office and Moran said he was only too glad to share the 2016-17 prediction as the usual crowd of parents and children made the pre-dawn trek to the Lutz Museum to gather around Chuckles.

"And that is what this is about ... look around us," Moran said before taking the stage for the prediction. "This is about the kids, having fun and showing that Manchester is the home for the true and accurate prediction on Groundhog Day."

George Ferron, 5, of Mansfield, agreed.

"I'm here to see Chuckles," he said.

Part of the Lutz Museum's mission is animal education. It is the official home to Chuckles, the official Connecticut State Groundhog. Her formal name is Chuckles VIII and she is approximately 5 years old. She has lived at the Lutz Children’s Museum since she was discovered injured and orphaned as a baby in a Vernon parking lot. Doctors at Bolton Veterinary determined that she would not be able to survive in the wild, opening the door to a new career in meteorology.

Folklore has it that if a groundhog emerges from its burrow on Groundhog Day and does not see its shadow, then spring will come early that year. If the groundhog sees its shadow, winter will continue for another six weeks.

Chuckles was in a "good mood" on Thursday morning after a therapeutic steam bath and a meeting with veterinarians, Lutz Executive Director Bob Eckert said.

"Chuckles was ready to make the one, true accurate prediction," he said.

Photo Credit: Chris Dehnel