Ohio's official groundhog Buckeye Chuck fails to see shadow, meaning spring will come early

MARION, Ohio — Ohio's answer to Punxsutawney (puhnk-suh-TAW'-nee) Phil is predicting a shorter winter — not that there's been much winter to speak of.

WMRN radio reports that Ohio groundhog Buckeye Chuck failed to see his shadow at dawn on Thursday under overcast skies in the central Ohio city of Marion. According to legend, no shadow means spring will arrive early.

Winter has barely made an appearance in Ohio. Temperatures have been warmer than normal and most spots have seen much less snow than usual.

Meanwhile in Punxsutawney, Phil did see his shadow on Thursday, forecasting six more weeks of winter.

The Groundhog Day tradition comes from a German superstition that calls for bad weather if an animal casts a shadow on Feb. 2, the Christian holiday of Candlemas.