WANTAGE TOWNSHIP, N.J. (Sussex County) — Sussex County’s resident groundhog emerged Monday to deliver a sunnier forecast than many of his counterparts across the region.
Stonewall Jackson, the groundhog housed at Space Farms Zoo & Museum in Wantage Township, did not see his shadow on Groundhog Day, signaling a prediction of an early spring, according to officials at the zoo.
Stonewall’s forecast differed from several other well-known prognosticators in the Northeast, most of whom predicted six more weeks of winter.
Lady Edwina of Essex County, along with Punxsutawney Phil of Pennsylvania, Staten Island Chuck of New York, Holtsville Hal of Long Island and Malverne Mel of Long Island all saw their shadows and called for a longer winter.
In South Jersey, Tomothy, an Eastern box turtle at the Edelman Fossil Park & Museum at Rowan University, also predicted six more weeks of winter.
Groundhog Day, observed annually on Feb. 2, is a tradition rooted in folklore that suggests a groundhog’s behavior can foretell the arrival of spring. While not scientifically proven, the event continues to draw attention and crowds each year across the region.
