05 Feb ESSEX COUNTY EXECUTIVE DIVINCENZO ANNOUNCES GROUNDHOG DAY PROGNOSTICATIONS FROM TURTLE BACK ZOO’S LADY EDWINA OF ESSEX Resident Groundhog Does Not See her Shadow, Predicts Early Spring Weather and the Chiefs Winning the Super Bowl
Published on February 5, 2024
West Orange, NJ – Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. announced that Lady Edwina of Essex, Essex County Turtle Back Zoo’s resident groundhog, did not see her shadow and is predicting spring weather to arrive early. Lady Edwina made her prediction during Turtle Back Zoo’s annual Groundhog Day Celebration. This is the third time she has made a prognostication since taking over for her cousin Essex Ed. Essex Edwina also predicted the Kansas City Chiefs would defeat the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII.
“I’m not a fan of cold weather, so I appreciate Lady Edwina forecasting an early arrival for warmer, spring weather,” said DiVincenzo. “It may still be winter, but Turtle Back Zoo is open and it’s a great time to come out and Experience Essex, and our wonderful Turtle Back Zoo and South Mountain Recreation Complex. Waiting for Essex Edwina on Groundhog Day creates excitement about Essex County’s Turtle Back Zoo and highlights its role as an educational resource,” he added.
Essex Edwina’s prediction is as follows:
Happy Friday my friends! Welcome to the Zoo,
We’re open all year, so there’s still tons to do!
Our Alligator Peaches can be seen, in his new warm winter digs,
You can see penguins & sting rays & kunekune pigs.
But enough about the NOW, let’s look to the future to see,
Snow boots or rain boots, do you think all us groundhogs will agree?
I am happy to report, sun is coming in fast,
SPRING will be early, Winter will be part of the past.
As for the game, I’ll join the Chiefs’ wolf pack for the day,
Then maybe at the game, I can hang out with Tay!
This is the third year that Essex Edwina has made mid-winter and Super Bowl forecasts. Her predecessor, Essex Ed, had been predicting the mid-winter forecast since 1997 and the Zoo had various other groundhogs predict before him dating back to the 1970s. New Jersey weather is not always in line with Pennsylvania’s after all, and Ed could easily see his shadow while Punxsutawney Phil does not or vice versa. In the mid-2000s, Essex Ed started adding Super Bowl predictions to his prognostication.
Legend has it that if a groundhog sees his shadow on February 2nd, the winter chill will continue. If the weather is cloudy and he doesn’t see his shadow, we can expect warmer temperatures and an early spring.