Groundhog Day Forecast & What It Means For North Dakota

Every year on February 2nd, we wake up early to find out whether or not our furry friend from the ground has seen his shadow. This morning, news outlets across the country reported that the groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, did in fact see his shadow. That's right, we are being told we need to prepare for six more weeks of winter.

It's not too surprising that he saw his shadow, he often does. According to USA Today, Punxsutawney Phil has seen his shadow a total of 110 times.

While, other states are saddened and disappointed by this news, it hits a little different in North Dakota. Six more weeks of winter sounds pretty nice. Only a month and a half? Sign us up! Groundhog Day doesn't really give North Dakotans much hope for warmer weather. Six more weeks of winter is a certainty for North Dakota no matter what, but in all likeliness, the cold will burden us for quite a bit longer.

(Also Read: The Old Farmer's Almanac Weighs In On North Dakota's Spring Forecast)

What About Spring?

So, what can we expect to see this spring in North Dakota? Well, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac, the central and western part of the states will likely be warm and dry - a disappointment to many North Dakota farmers, I'm sure. The eastern part of the state is expected to be warm and wet.

Most of the country is expected to experience a drier-than-normal spring, with warmer temperatures forecast.