Some people rely on the science of meteorology and check forecasts daily. In the case of impending storm, they’ll check more often.

Long-term forecasts? We look to four groundhogs and a robin.

We start with the movie star Phil.

He lives with his mate Phyllis in a “climate controlled” burrow and emerges on Feb. 2 to determine whether we’ll have six more weeks of winter or we’ll put an end to our misery and have an early spring.

You would think he would want to bring us good news as this winter has brought nothing but aggravation.

But Phil hasn’t experienced what we have. He is in climate-controlled burrow.

On Monday he declared we’d have six more weeks of this stuff.

And this year our local taxidermied Schnogadahl Sammi agreed.

So did Morris in Jim Thorpe and Grover the Groundhog in Schuylkill County.

They don’t often agree, but all said the same: six more weeks of winter.

Talk about piling on bad news on top of a 15-inch snowstorm and two weeks of single digit temperatures.

We are one month and change into the new year and almost no one is happy.

Let’s start with area municipalities that have spent the last week cleaning up from the Jan. 25-26 storm.

While many of us feel it’s too cold to go anywhere, Lehighton reported Monday night that the borough public works department hasn’t has a day off from Jan. 17-31.

Crews recorded 451.5 hours in overtime.

Other municipalities have similar experiences and numbers. Some even had to hire outside help to clean up after that massive storm that happened while Phil was hunkered down.

Other experiences of 2026:

• Frozen pipes.

• Dead car batteries.

• Higher than ever electric bills.

• Paying the plow guy.

• School delays and closings.

• Falls on ice.

• A shortage of rock salt.

Did we mention the highest electric bills ever?

We are so over winter.

And, who believes a groundhog anyway?

The tradition started with German settlers in Pennsylvania adapted the European tradition of using animals (like hedgehogs) to predict weather on Candlemas Day (Feb. 2).

Candlemas is a Christian holiday marking the 40th day after Christmas, commemorating the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple and the purification of the Virgin Mary. It is known as the “Festival of Lights,” featuring candlelit processions, the blessing of candles, and it often marks the end of the liturgical Christmas season.

Talking to a rodent is a far cry from this.

But ... it’s a way to have fun with a situation clearly our of our control.

In 1887, the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club held the first official celebration, declaring Punxsutawney Phil the official groundhog.

Since that year Phil has seen his shadow 109 times and forecast an early spring just 21 times. The National Weather Service says his prediction is right about 35% to 39% of the time.

Some would argue that the meteorologists only hit that percentage when they are predicting snowfall totals.

Consider this: Even if an oversize rodent could predict the weather, six weeks from Feb. 2 is March 16. If winter is done by then, we are in great shape.

So maybe we should change our mindset and celebrate only six more weeks of winter.

A welcome call came to the office just one day after the rodents’ predictions. A woman in Andreas had robins in her yard. Not just one, but many.

Some people say robins overwinter in Pennsylvania, but they have become known as the harbingers of spring.

Now there is a concept we can get behind.

If we want to trust in wildlife for our weather forecast, we should be on the lookout for dead skunks in the road.

Yup, dead skunks on the road are considered a sign of spring because February and March mark the beginning of their mating season. When they are on the move, we know we will be too.

So, be on the alert for that aroma.

Then you know it will soon be time to plant the onions.

MARTA GOUGER | mgouger@tnonline.com