UPDATE: Groundhog Day predictions are in! You can see what’s in store for BC here.
With Groundhog Day just around the corner at the end of the week, it’s time to gear up to hear the official weather prediction of BC’s most adorable forecaster – Violet the Vancouver Island Marmot.
According to the Marmot Recovery Foundation, this species of Marmot is critically endangered and belongs to the ‘groundhog’ (Sciuridae) family. So if you were going to question the validity of Violet’s “Goundhoggedness” – think again.
BC’s resident ‘groundhog’ will be making her 2024 weather predictions at the end of the week – and not a second earlier, it looks like!
The foundation shared a photo of Violet sleeping soundly with her siblings on Tuesday, January 30th, indicating that she’s not yet ready to share her insight into winter 2024.
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Its not your usual Groundhog Day ceremony. There are no proclamations (too loud) or holding marmots in the air. To get a Vancouver Island marmots’ take on winter takes a more delicate touch. pic.twitter.com/mShLyEvdmy— Marmot Recovery Fdn (@MarmotRecovery) January 30, 2024
In addition to her weather forecasting responsibilities, three-year-old Violet plays a critical role in recovering her species’ population from “the brink of extinction,” according to the foundation.
“She is just reaching adulthood, and still waiting to have her first litter of pups, who in turn would be released to wild to rebuild the fragile Vancouver Island marmot population” reads the post.
In the meantime, she’s been providing the foundation with Groundhog Day predictions since 2022, when she accurately predicted six more weeks of winter.
Her second prediction last year was also a longer winter – and also accurate. So Violet’s two for two!
According to a representative of the foundation, ‘Van Isle Violet’ will be making her prediction for this year on the morning of Friday, February 2nd. So stay tuned for all things Groundhog Day 2024.
Here’s to a smooth transition from winter to spring!
