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Freddie says 6 more weeks of winter

FRENCH CREEK, W.Va. — West Virginia’s own varmint weather prognosticator predicted winter is far from over in the Mountain State. While Punxsutawney Phil saw no shadow in Pennsylvania early Tuesday morning, the sun was shining bright on French Creek, West Virginia when French Creek Freddie emerged.

“When we took the groundhog out, he saw his shadow,” said Tyler Evans, director of the West Virginia Wildlife Center in Upshur County. “Unfortunately, that means six more weeks of winter.”

A large crowd gathered at the Wildlife Center on Tuesday to witness the mid-winter emergence of the official state groundhog from his lair.  The groundhog was forced out the door to a pen bathed in sunshine and a clear blue sky overhead.

“We have our origins in 1978, that was our first Groundhog Day and we’ve had 39 since. It’s really taken off and become a community event for us,” said Evans.

Evans is new to the facility, but said the center’s assistant Judy Channell has been keeping track of Freddie’s accuracy in predictions dating back a few years.

“Freddie had been on a pretty good streak dating back to 2008,” Evans said. “He’d been correct every year except 2012 when he predicted an early spring and it snowed in March, so he didn’t get that one right.”

The annual ceremony gives the Wildlife Center an opportunity to showcase the entire facility.   Visitors can see exhibits featuring all animal species which are native or present in West Virginia.

“It really is a good time of year to have people come out and visit us,” Evans said. “There are a lot of species we have like black bear, mountain lions,and wolves that are actually more active this time of year. They’ll come out and give people something more to look at than they would on a hot summer day.”





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