WMDT 47 News - Delmarva's ChoiceGroundhog Predicts More Winter...What Winter?

WMDT 47 NEWS - It's groundhog day, and Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow, which means 6 more weeks of winter. But given the winter we've been having here on the Shore, it begs the question, how much weight do our local farmers place on Phil's predictions?

"I wish it could be that simple," admits Dr. Enrique Escobar, sheep and goat specialist with the UMES Extension Office. Dr. Enrique Escobar is a specialist with the UMES extension office. He admits 6 more weeks of this mild winter has it's benefits. "The good part is, you know, the farmers doesn't need to spend extra money on heating barns or heating their homes." And he says the rain has been great for keeping the ground moist.

But a major downside to not having snow or freezing temps is that the pathogens in the field and parasites that reside in the ground which affect livestock and crops don't get a chance to die off during the winter.

But Phil could be right. Winter still has 6 weeks to rear it's ugly head. The world's most famous groundhog has been forecasting the end of winter for 126 years. Phil has seen his shadow 99 times, and his official website says his weather prediction is always correct. But keep in mind, stormfax.com says his accuracy is more like 39 percent.