Groundhog Day In Essex County: Early Spring – What About Super Bowl?

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — An early spring and the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl. That’s Friday’s official prediction from Essex County’s resident groundhog weather forecaster, Lady Edwina.

The county’s annual Groundhog Day event returned to the Turtle Back Zoo in West Orange again this year, with the star of the day – Lady Edwina of Essex – taking center stage.

According to the myth, if a groundhog sees their shadow on Feb. 2, the winter chill will continue. If the weather is cloudy and they don’t see their shadow, people can expect warmer temperatures and early spring.

Essex County typically adds a twist to the annual tradition, asking the resident groundhog at the zoo to predict a winner of the Super Bowl, too.

So what’s the deal for 2024?

During Friday’s public event at the zoo, Edwina did not see her shadow – which apparently heralds an early spring.

“I’m not a fan of cold weather, so I appreciate Lady Edwina forecasting an early arrival for warmer spring weather,” Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr. cheered.

Meanwhile, Edwina predicted the Chiefs would defeat the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII.

Edwina – who took over Groundhog Day duties from the late Essex Ed two years ago – predicted that the Philadelphia Eagles would defeat the Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII (the Chiefs won by a score of 38-35). She also predicted the Los Angeles Rams as victors in the Super Bowl against the Cincinnati Bengals in 2022 (the Rams won, 23-20.)

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