Groundhog Day 2013: Wiarton Willie, Punxsutawney Phil, Shubenacadie Sam Make Their Forecasts (VIDEO)

What kind of a winter are we expecting in Canada? Lets not look at long-term forecasts or other types of weather predictions. Let's all crowd around in small towns to see what the humble groundhog thinks. Yes, it's Goundhog Day 2013 on Saturday.

Pennsylvania's Punxsutawney Phil didn't see his shadow, predicting early spring.

Wiarton Willie, Canada's leading rodent prognosticator, also predicted an early spring.

Nova Scotia’s Shubenacadie Sam did see his shadow, so maybe some of us shouldn't put the parkas and winter boots away just yet.

Other groundhogs will also be forecasting the weather on Feb 2.

To keep score, Wiarton Willie predicted an early spring in 2012, meanwhile, Phil saw his shadow and predicted another six weeks of winter. So much for cross-border weather unity.

And in case you're not done with winter, see some of the pictures HuffPost Canada readers have sent us this winter.

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Winter in Newmarket Ontario
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Irazu"><img style="float:left;padding-right:6px !important;" src="http://i.huffpost.com/profiles/380910-tiny.png?20090902180330" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Irazu">Irazu</a>: Newmarket Ontario, February 2013
Cat vs. Bunny in the Snow
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Estrogenx"><img style="float:left;padding-right:6px !important;" src="http://i.huffpost.com/profiles/1245512-2-tiny.png?20120117131032" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Estrogenx">Estrogenx</a>: My cat Simon feels the snow provides sufficient camouflage to his pursuit of rabbits.
PJ in the Snow
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/CarolRollheiser"><img style="float:left;padding-right:6px !important;" src="http://images.huffingtonpost.com/twitter_profile_img/4511395.png" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/CarolRollheiser">CarolRollheiser</a>:
Mark McMorris, of Regina, falls on his landing during the Big Air event at the FIS Snowboard World Championship in Quebec City, Saturday, January 19, 2013. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot
Ice Cold
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/artandthekitchen"><img style="float:left;padding-right:6px !important;" src="http://s.huffpost.com/images/profile/user_placeholder.gif" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/artandthekitchen">artandthekitchen</a>: Icey cold water of Jasper National Park
Don Decker starts to clean up during the first major snowstorm of the season, in St. John's, N.L., on Friday Jan. 11, 2013. An estimated 40cm have fallen. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Daly
Toronto
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Blani_Bodnar"><img style="float:left;padding-right:6px !important;" src="http://graph.facebook.com/506010575/picture?type=square" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Blani_Bodnar">Blani Bodnar</a>: Sunset at the beaches
Swan Hills, Alberta
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/CarolRollheiser"><img style="float:left;padding-right:6px !important;" src="http://images.huffingtonpost.com/twitter_profile_img/4511395.png" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/CarolRollheiser">CarolRollheiser</a>: Snowmobiling Deceber 30, 2012
An employee of the Saddledome uses a leaf blower to clear snow from the steps of the arena as a light snow falls in Calgary, Alta., Monday, Jan. 14, 2013.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
Residents in downtown St. John's try to dig out in the aftermath of a snowstorm that dropped over 40 centimetres of snow by Friday morning, Jan. 11, 2013. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Daly
The chapel of the Quebec city Ice Hotel is pictured in Quebec city Sunday January 6, 2013. The first ice hotel in North America, L'Hotel de glace de Quebec is located in Quebec borough of Charlesbourg, 10 km from downtown. The Canadian Press Images/Francis Vachon
The Wave
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/ArcticRose45"><img style="float:left;padding-right:6px !important;" src="http://images.huffingtonpost.com/twitter_profile_img/1650877.png" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/ArcticRose45">ArcticRose45</a>: Cold Winter Night in Yellowknife, NT But but our souls were warmed with this beautiful display of the Aurora Borealis
Winter in the North
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Dyanne_DiMassimo"><img style="float:left;padding-right:6px !important;" src="http://s.huffpost.com/images/profile/user_placeholder.gif" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Dyanne_DiMassimo">Dyanne DiMassimo</a>: Vanderhoof, B.C. December 9 2012
Frosty window in Toronto
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Foggyday000999"><img style="float:left;padding-right:6px !important;" src="http://s.huffpost.com/images/profile/user_placeholder.gif" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Foggyday000999">Foggyday000999</a>: Fossil like, but not everlasting.
Frozen falls
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/thebandiswithme"><img style="float:left;padding-right:6px !important;" src="http://s.huffpost.com/images/profile/user_placeholder.gif" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/thebandiswithme">thebandiswithme</a>: North Bay, Ontario
The Road Home
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/thebandiswithme"><img style="float:left;padding-right:6px !important;" src="http://s.huffpost.com/images/profile/user_placeholder.gif" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/thebandiswithme">thebandiswithme</a>: Kirkland Lake, Ontario
Whiteshell Provincial Park in Manitoba — a prairie sunset in the winter. Photo Courtesy of <a href="http://hikebiketravel.com/">Leigh McAdam</a>
Winter Wonderland
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/KidCarm09"><img style="float:left;padding-right:6px !important;" src="http://i.huffpost.com/profiles/1343264-tiny.png?20101208120214" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/KidCarm09">KidCarm09</a>: Marie Curtis Park in Etobicoke....wonderful wintry day.
Lighted trail
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/hp_blogger_Kenny Yum"><img style="float:left;padding-right:6px !important;" src="http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/contributors/kenny-yum/headshot.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/hp_blogger_Kenny Yum">HuffPost Blogger Kenny Yum</a>: Running trail at night in Toronto after a snowfall.
Jasper national Park
fall frozen
winter looking over river bourgoeis water
my dog lilo loving the snow this morning
Off Leash in the Ravine
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/cpmaz"><img style="float:left;padding-right:6px !important;" src="http://s.huffpost.com/images/profile/user_placeholder.gif" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/cpmaz">cpmaz</a>: Patricia Heights Ravine Edmonton, Alberta
Peachland, BC Canada Jan 18th 2013
Peachland, BC Canada January 18th 2013
Leo and Mount Orford
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/russell_merifield"><img style="float:left;padding-right:6px !important;" src="http://s.huffpost.com/images/profile/user_placeholder.gif" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/russell_merifield">russell merifield</a>: Walking Leo at -25C Lake Memphremagog Quebec January 2013
Kamiskotia Lake, Timmins Ontario
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/richbeau"><img style="float:left;padding-right:6px !important;" src="http://images.huffingtonpost.com/linkedin_profile_img/4499723.png" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/richbeau">richbeau</a>: My home, my paradise.
Ice Soldiers
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Paul_Paquette"><img style="float:left;padding-right:6px !important;" src="http://graph.facebook.com/1079713303/picture?type=square" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Paul_Paquette">Paul Paquette</a>: On Moffat Creek in sub-zero weather.
Peachland,BC Christmas Day
Peachland, BC Canada Christmas day 2012. CasandraProbe
Port Dover after winter storm
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/scallywag1959"><img style="float:left;padding-right:6px !important;" src="http://s.huffpost.com/images/profile/user_placeholder.gif" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/scallywag1959">scallywag1959</a>: Time to start shoveling
Peachland,BC Canada
Peachland, Bc Canada Cassandra
Sampson
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Carryl_Coles"><img style="float:left;padding-right:6px !important;" src="http://graph.facebook.com/1264221731/picture?type=square" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Carryl_Coles">Carryl Coles</a>: Sampson's snow fort, Kamloops BC Jan 2013
Snowy Aurora
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Estrogenx"><img style="float:left;padding-right:6px !important;" src="http://i.huffpost.com/profiles/1245512-2-tiny.png?20120117131032" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Estrogenx">Estrogenx</a>: Beautiful Canadian winter scene
Winter Light
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Brian_S_Wyatt"><img style="float:left;padding-right:6px !important;" src="http://graph.facebook.com/681519072/picture?type=square" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Brian_S_Wyatt">Brian S Wyatt</a>: Sunnybrook Park, North York, Ontario, January 9, 2013
Beautiful Buck!
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Shelley_Angus_Adler"><img style="float:left;padding-right:6px !important;" src="http://graph.facebook.com/612595055/picture?type=square" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Shelley_Angus_Adler">Shelley Angus Adler</a>: Beautiful!
Snowed in
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Brian_Campbell_Canada"><img style="float:left;padding-right:6px !important;" src="http://s.huffpost.com/images/profile/user_placeholder.gif" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Brian_Campbell_Canada">Brian Campbell Canada</a>: After a 47 cm snowfall in Montreal, Quebec
Snowshoe in Rogers Pass
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Jeremy_Luc_Hachey"><img style="float:left;padding-right:6px !important;" src="http://graph.facebook.com/799765000/picture?type=square" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Jeremy_Luc_Hachey">Jeremy Luc Hachey</a>: Stopped to stretch our legs in Rogers Pass (Dec. 16, 2012)
Oliver Horses
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/marikane"><img style="float:left;padding-right:6px !important;" src="http://graph.facebook.com/534243669/picture?type=square" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/marikane">marikane</a>: In Oliver BC everyone is friendly, even the horses. On the benchlands above town, we met these ranging horses.
White Tuesday in Toronto
A winter view of some parts of Toronto.
<a href="https://twitter.com/DebraKirk/status/293814583569813504/photo/1">@DebraKirk: Lake Scugog, Ontario</a>
Bitter Cold
A woman walks through a ravine in Toronto's east end on Tuesday January 22, 2013 as the city issues an extreme weather warning after temperatures drop to minus 24.
Sunset in Atlantic Canada
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/brideaumc"><img style="float:left;padding-right:6px !important;" src="http://images.huffingtonpost.com/twitter_profile_img/4492441.png" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/brideaumc">brideaumc</a>: Sunset in Caraquet New Brunswick taken on January 14th 2013. Temperatures went from 8c to -15c
<a href="https://twitter.com/DebraKirk/status/293814805821808642/photo/1">@DebraKirk : Lake Scugog, Ontario</a>
Montréal dec. 27th
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/William_De_Merchant"><img style="float:left;padding-right:6px !important;" src="http://graph.facebook.com/1076440046/picture?type=square" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/William_De_Merchant">William De Merchant</a>: Montreal after a storm
The Plow
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Quikshank"><img style="float:left;padding-right:6px !important;" src="http://s.huffpost.com/images/profile/user_placeholder.gif" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Quikshank">Quikshank</a>: Hwy 11 N of Barrie. January 20, 2013
South Okanagan Vineyards
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/marikane"><img style="float:left;padding-right:6px !important;" src="http://graph.facebook.com/534243669/picture?type=square" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/marikane">marikane</a>: Vineyards of the Golden Mile in the South Okanagan, looking south toward Osoyoos, BC.
Blanket of snow
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Leanne_B_Godin"><img style="float:left;padding-right:6px !important;" src="http://graph.facebook.com/509587317/picture?type=square" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Leanne_B_Godin">Leanne B Godin</a>: Love seeing landscapes of snow untouched. Picture taken in Lac Brome Quebec.
Winter view
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Soph_Ia"><img style="float:left;padding-right:6px !important;" src="http://graph.facebook.com/820430025/picture?type=square" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Soph_Ia">Soph Ia</a>: This is the view I woke up to in a cozy cottage near Blue Mountain Ski Resort in Collingwood, ON. Jan. 20, 2012.
Oliver Benchland
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/marikane"><img style="float:left;padding-right:6px !important;" src="http://graph.facebook.com/534243669/picture?type=square" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/marikane">marikane</a>: Looking west into Okanagan Valley from bench above Oliver, BC.
Niagara Falls 2013
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/augie_d"><img style="float:left;padding-right:6px !important;" src="http://s.huffpost.com/images/profile/user_placeholder.gif" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/augie_d">augie d</a>: The falls from the SkyWheel, January 2013.
<a href="https://twitter.com/jaclynmtersigni">@jaclynmtersigni</a>: This is near Dupont and Spadina (in Toronto).
Made it through the winter.
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Jeffrey_from_AB"><img style="float:left;padding-right:6px !important;" src="http://i.huffpost.com/profiles/4320513-tiny.png?20130116134032" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Jeffrey_from_AB">Jeffrey from AB</a>: Mule Deer in west of Sundre AB. who has been roughed up by a cougar. That's where the scars came from.
Snow falls at near the McGillivray Pass Lodge located in the southern Chilcotin Mountains of British Columbia, Canada on Jan. 6, 2013. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Jonathan Hayward)

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Famous Groundhogs
Groundhog handler Ben Hughes watches Punxsutawney Phil after he did not see his shadow predicting an early spring during the 125th annual Groundhog Day festivities on February 2, 2011 in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.
Punxsutawney Phil (Pennsylvania)
Punxsutawney Phil is predicting an early spring in 2013. Photo: AP Photo/Keith Srakocic/FILE
Wiarton Willie (Ontario)
Wiarton Willie, Canada's most famous groundhog, is making the bold prediction of an early spring for 2013. photo: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young
Shubenacadie Sam (Nova Scotia)
Shubenacadie Sam. photo: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan
Sir Walter Wally (North Carolina)
Sir Walter Wally. photo: AP Photo/Karen Tam
Staten Island Chuck (New York)
New York's celebrity groundhog. photo: YouTube
Jimmy The Groundhog (Wisconsin)
Jimmy the Groundhog. photo: Facebook

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AcunningDisguise

magnus gigas caput

241 Fans

01:27 PM on 02/03/2013

I'm wondering what winter they are talking about we had one chilly day a while ago but that was about it. The birds are already announcing spring here in Vancouver.

This should be the ugly month not May in February.

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antileaf

10 Fans

07:53 PM on 02/02/2013

Regardless of the rodents...spring is always 6 weeks away on Feb. 2 because spring starts Mar. 21 every year.

HUFFPOST SUPER USER

tbabalis

21 Fans

06:26 PM on 02/02/2013

even the groundhog's like: these people a f*cked.

gaurdian

64 Fans

04:46 PM on 02/02/2013

With all the millions of dollars invested in weather forecasting and we still rely on a groundhog to predict it , technology has come full circle. Better start looking for a cave in the real estate pages before the market hits a high.

01:29 PM on 02/03/2013

The first day of spring is always obvious and a joy to see after the ides of March pass.
Lately Fall, Winter, and Spring are interchangeable seasons we take them on a day to day basis.

Jeffrey from AB

47 Fans

04:38 PM on 02/02/2013

That picture reminds me of Pauline Marois, oops my bad, that's not an overgrown weasel.

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recumbentguy

126 Fans

04:22 PM on 02/02/2013

Has anyone asked Willie if a nice rolling peace of natural habitat would be preferred to this circus?

ami2much

53 Fans

03:40 PM on 02/02/2013

I guess we'll find out in a few wks

Burlesque Lea

the dog is the only animal that has seen his god

98 Fans

02:07 PM on 02/02/2013

Poor creatures.

Surfinby

28 Fans

01:02 PM on 02/02/2013

Why do Canadians put more faith in the prognostications of a marmot than they do to the deep thoughts of politicians, advocates, and lobbyists? Maybe we are voting for the wrong species.

Steve Lives

The Venus Project ... look it up

294 Fans

12:29 PM on 02/02/2013

We had winter? In southern Alberta, it was very mild, it was 7 degrees Celsius yesterday, and is looking good so far today. Not much snow. And what is here is melting fast.

49tales

lucem sequimur

727 Fans

11:46 AM on 02/02/2013

It's my first prairie winter and it seems to be dragging on and on and on.....

littlestar

What is life without dessert?

243 Fans

03:11 PM on 02/02/2013

They really do drag here in the prairies. It's been especially cold and snowy here in Saskatchewan this winter :(.

hanse672000

optimistically skeptical

90 Fans

11:24 AM on 02/02/2013

on the wet coast, winter has mostly passed us by.

ontariogirl

Peace!

761 Fans

10:01 AM on 02/02/2013

What a weird weather week. Last week was -30C. This week it went up to +13C. We went from white to green and now back to white again. Its winter and anything can happen so I don't put much stock into what any of the cute rodents say.

IYamWhatIYam

29 Fans

08:20 AM on 02/02/2013

Where are all the animal rights people complaining that we're using cheap animal labour to forecast the weather.

Charles the Great

Canadian/Israeli Goy in Alert,Nunavut

137 Fans

08:02 AM on 02/02/2013

So most of the snow is already gone in Nova Scotia

Elkanah

Jeremiah, the prophet in deep thought

196 Fans

08:13 AM on 02/02/2013

Be wary. It will be back.

jandnv

1 Fans

08:50 AM on 02/02/2013

We just got another foot yesterday.

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05:26 PM on 02/02/2013

I know 20 cm = :(

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Groundhog Day 2013: Wiarton Willie, Punxsutawney Phil, Shubenacadie Sam Make Their Forecasts (VIDEO)

Winter in Newmarket Ontario

Cat vs. Bunny in the Snow

PJ in the Snow

Ice Cold

Toronto

Swan Hills, Alberta

The Wave

Winter in the North

Frosty window in Toronto

Frozen falls

The Road Home

Winter Wonderland

Lighted trail

Jasper national Park

winter looking over river bourgoeis water

Off Leash in the Ravine

Peachland, BC Canada Jan 18th 2013

Leo and Mount Orford

Kamiskotia Lake, Timmins Ontario

Ice Soldiers

Peachland,BC Christmas Day

Port Dover after winter storm

Peachland,BC Canada

Sampson

Snowy Aurora

Winter Light

Beautiful Buck!

Snowed in

Snowshoe in Rogers Pass

Oliver Horses

White Tuesday in Toronto

Bitter Cold

Sunset in Atlantic Canada

Montréal dec. 27th

The Plow

South Okanagan Vineyards

Blanket of snow

Winter view

Oliver Benchland

Niagara Falls 2013

Made it through the winter.

Famous Groundhogs

Punxsutawney Phil (Pennsylvania)

Wiarton Willie (Ontario)

Shubenacadie Sam (Nova Scotia)

Sir Walter Wally (North Carolina)

Staten Island Chuck (New York)

Jimmy The Groundhog (Wisconsin)

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