FRENCH CREEK FREDDIE SAYS EARLY SPRING - Meanwhile, Forecast Is Brrrrrr, Edging Toward Zero

(02/03/2007)

With high gusting winds and frigid temperatures hitting the area, officials at the West Virginia Wildlife Center at French Creek in Upshur County say the resident groundhog did not see his shadow on Groundhog Day. That means we're going to have an early spring. Center biologist Robert Silvester says Freddie was pretty frisky, showing off for a crowd of about 35 people. The West Virginia Wildlife Center has been hosting Groundhog Day annually since 1978. Each groundhog is retired after about seven or eight years. Current Freddie is about three years old. Freddie's prediction mirrors that of at least three other groundhogs - Pennsylvania's Punxsutawney Phil, Ohio's Buckeye Chuck and Georgia's General Beauregard Lee didn't see their shadows either. Meanwhile, the winter forecast - at long last - is really wintry. Tonight mostly cloudy with scattered flurries, brisk and cold with lows around 11. Sunday will be partly sunny, high about 18, snow flurries, low about 8 Sunday night. The biggest chill is Monday. High around 12, lows Monday night zero to 5 above.

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