Groundhog Day: Are sunny skies, mild temps foreshadowing an early spring?

The Boonshoft Museum of Discovery’s Walnut the hedgehog agreed with groundhogs Punxsutawney Phil and Ohio's Buckeye Chuck on Friday, Feb. 2, 2024. Walnut did not see her shadow and forecasted an early start to spring. According to Boonshoft, the annual tradition actually is a nod to the ancient Roman custom of Candlemas Day, where hedgehogs initially were used to predict spring. MARSHALL GORBY\STAFF

The Boonshoft Museum of Discovery’s Walnut the hedgehog agreed with groundhogs Punxsutawney Phil and Ohio's Buckeye Chuck on Friday, Feb. 2, 2024. Walnut did not see her shadow and forecasted an early start to spring. According to Boonshoft, the annual tradition actually is a nod to the ancient Roman custom of Candlemas Day, where hedgehogs initially were used to predict spring. MARSHALL GORBY\STAFF
Weather
By
Updated Feb 2, 2024
X

The question of the day is whether partly sunny skies today foreshadow a Groundhog Day prediction of an early start to spring or another six weeks of winter.

Ohio’s groundhog Buckeye Chuck did not see his shadow Friday morning, predicting an early spring. The groundhog may have caught a glimpse at the weather forecast, which has above average temperatures and dry conditions for the next 10 days.

Today will be slightly cooler than yesterday, with highs around 45 degrees. Although it’s several degrees above the average temperature for today, it is a drop of about 7 degrees from the day before, according to the National Weather Service in Wilmington.

It will be partly cloudy today, with clouds starting to scatter in the evening. Temperatures overnight will drop to a low around 27 degrees.

Warmer, sunny conditions begin Saturday and will last into early next week.

Saturday will be sunny with a high near 46 degrees.

Skies will be mostly clear for Saturday night, which will have an overnight low around 29 degrees.

Sunday will be sunny and warmer with a high near 52 degrees. It will be mostly clear overnight with a low around 29 degrees.

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday are expected to be sunny with highs in the upper 40s to low 50s.

Thursday will be mostly cloudy but warmer with a high near 58 degrees.

In Other News
1
Breezy, chilly with chance of rain today; Warmer this weekend
2
Cold with snow showers, breezy winds today
3
Cool, breezy, rainy today; Chance for snow tomorrow
4
Showers, chance of storms early, breezy, mild with clearing skies today
5
Mostly cloudy but cool today, tonight

About the Author

Follow Jen Balduf on twitter

Jen Roppel Balduf covers breaking news for the Dayton Daily News. She earned a bachelor of science in journalism degree from Ohio University and also writes for the Journal-News, Springfield News-Sun and Dayton.com.