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Staten Island Chuck

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Staten Island Chuck's 2010 house.

Staten Island Chuck, also referred to more formally as Charles G. Hogg, is a groundhog who resided in the Staten Island Zoo in Staten Island, New York City. He serves as the official groundhog meteorologist of New York City, who predicts the duration of winter each February 2 on Groundhog Day. The tradition dates back to 1981.[1] He makes the prediction based on whether or not he sees his shadow during the ceremony between 7:00 A.M. and 7:30 A.M. on Groundhog Day. The ceremony at the zoo is sometimes attended and officiated by the Mayor of New York City. Chuck's prediction for 2024 was early spring, concurring with the prediction made by Punxsutawney Phil.[2]

Notable moments

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Staten Island Chuck bit New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg in 2009.[3][4] Over his 12 years as mayor, Bloomberg attended 7 of 12 ceremonies.[5]

Chuck was later replaced by his granddaughter, Charlotte, for the first Groundhog Day ceremony held during the mayoralty of Bill de Blasio. During that ceremony held on February 2, 2014, de Blasio dropped Charlotte onto the ground in front of "shocked schoolchildren".[6][7][8] Charlotte died on February 9, 2014, although the Staten Island Zoo did not make this fact public until several months later.[9] According to the New York Post, a necropsy attributed Charlotte's death to "acute internal injuries" consistent with a fall.[10] Despite accusations of a coverup and reports that De Blasio had killed the groundhog, the zoo initially claimed that the animal died of natural causes, and later took the position that it was "unlikely" that Charlotte's death was caused by the fall.[11][12]

Chuck's daughter, Charlotte Jr., served as a stand-in for him at Groundhog Day 2015.[10] On February 2, 2015, this female "Staten Island Chuck" walked out of a hutch that an elevator had lifted onto the stage of a portable Plexiglas habitat, while de Blasio watched from six feet (1.8 m) away.[13] De Blasio did not attend the 2016 ceremonies, as he was in Iowa campaigning for Hillary Clinton's Presidential bid; Lieutenant Governor of New York Kathy Hochul officiated the groundhog ceremony in de Blasio's stead.[14][15] He likewise did not attend the ceremony from 2017 to 2019,[16][17][18] and in 2020 confirmed that he has no plans to ever return to the Groundhog Day Ceremony at the Staten Island Zoo: "I tried it, it didn't end well, I won't be back," de Blasio said.[19]

In 2017, Staten Island Chuck made his publication debut in the children's book Groundhog Chuck Builds a Weather Station.[20] Authored by known animal lover and supporter of the outdoors, Staten Island's Deputy Borough President Ed Burke,[21] the book follows Chuck and his zoo friends on an adventure to ensure the right weather forecast is always made.

Past predictions

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The Staten Island Zoo has claimed that Chuck correctly predicted the duration of winter 26 out of 32 years as of 2013, an 82% success rate.[22]

Early spring is defined as a spring in which a majority of days between Groundhog Day and the March equinox have a high temperature of over 40 °F (4 °C).[23]

Year Prediction Agreed with Punxsutawney Phil Who was right[24]
2024 Early spring[25] Yes pending
2023 Early spring[26] No Chuck
2022 Early spring[27] No Chuck
2021 Early spring[28] No Chuck
2020 Early spring Yes both
2019 Early spring Yes neither
2018 Early spring[29] No Chuck
2017 Early spring[30] No Chuck
2016 Early spring[31] Yes both
2015 Early spring[32] No Chuck
2014 6 more weeks of winter[7] Yes both
2013 Early spring[33] Yes both
2012 Early spring[34] No
2011 Early spring[35] Yes
2010 Early spring[36] No
2009 Early spring[37] No
2008 Early spring[38] No

References

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  1. ^ Hanes, Elizabeth (February 1, 2013). "Beyond Punxsutawney: Meet the Other Groundhogs". History.com.
  2. ^ Koenig, Melissa (2 February 2024). "Staten Island Chuck says get ready for spring". nypost.com. NYP Holdings, Inc. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
  3. ^ Santos, Fernanda (February 2, 2009). "Reclusive Staten Island Groundhog Bites Mayor". The New York Times. Retrieved February 3, 2015.
  4. ^ McWeeney, Michael (February 2, 2009). "Mayor Bloomberg bitten by groundhog" (video). Staten Island Advance. YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved February 3, 2015.
  5. ^ Paulsen, Ken (2 February 2013). "On his last Groundhog Day as Mayor, Bloomberg ducks Staten Island Chuck (video)". silive.com. Advance Local Media, LLC. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  6. ^ DeFalco, Beth; Tacopino, Joe (February 2, 2014). "De Blasio drops NYC's Punxsutawney Phil'". New York Post. Retrieved February 3, 2015.
  7. ^ a b Wrobleski, Tom (2 February 2014). "Fumbled Chuck joins 'forkgate' among de Blasio's Staten Island flubs (photos, video)". Staten Island Advance. Retrieved February 2, 2014.
  8. ^ Gay, Mara (September 25, 2014). "Staten Island Groundhog Dies Days After Mayor de Blasio Drops It" (video). Blogs: Metropolis. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved February 3, 2015.
  9. ^ "Groundhog died week after New York mayor Bill de Blasio dropped it". The Guardian. Associated Press. 2014-09-25. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-01-30.
  10. ^ a b Tacopino, Joe; Campanile, Carl; O'Neil, Natalie (September 25, 2014). "Zoo in coverup after groundhog dropped by de Blasio dies". New York Post. Retrieved February 3, 2015.
  11. ^ Gay, Mara (September 25, 2014). "Staten Island Groundhog Dies Days After Mayor de Blasio Drops It" (video). Blogs: Metropolis. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved February 3, 2015.
  12. ^ Sanders, Anna. "'It didn't end well': De Blasio won't celebrate Groundhog Day after killing Staten Island Chuck". nydailynews.com. Retrieved 2021-02-02.
  13. ^ Flegenheimer, Matt (February 2, 2015). "New Rule for Mayor de Blasio and Staten Island Chuck: Hands Off On Groundhog Day, a New Script and a Sign of Spring in New York City". The New York Times. Retrieved February 3, 2015.
  14. ^ "Sources: Hochul will replace de Blasio for Groundhog Day duties". Politico New York. January 29, 2016. Retrieved January 29, 2016.
  15. ^ Barone, Vincent (2 February 2016). "Groundhog Day 2016 decision: Staten Island Chuck says ..." Staten Island Advance.
  16. ^ Goodman, J. David (1 February 2017). "Staten Island Groundhog Didn't See Mayor's Shadow". New York Times.
  17. ^ Nichols, Adam (2 February 2019). "Staten Island Chuck Makes Groundhog Day Prediction For 2019". Patch NY.
  18. ^ Herbert, Geoff (2 February 2018). "Groundhog Day 2018: Staten Island Chuck predicts early spring; who to believe?". syracuse.com.
  19. ^ Sanders, Anna (28 January 2020). "'It didn't end well': De Blasio won't celebrate Groundhog Day after killing Staten Island Chuck". nydailynews.com. Retrieved 2020-02-02.
  20. ^ "Staten Island Chuck Featured in New Book". www.ny1.com. Retrieved 2020-02-02.
  21. ^ Isl, Pearl Minsky | For the Staten; Advance (2018-04-30). "Memoirs: Ed Burke, deputy borough president". silive. Retrieved 2020-02-02.
  22. ^ Lavis, Ryan (February 1, 2014). "Groundhog Day 2014: Staten Island Chuck versus Punxsutawney Phil". Staten Island Advance.
  23. ^ "Groundhog Day 2017: Staten Island Chuck calls for an early spring". 2 February 2017.
  24. ^ "Groundhog Day Forecasts and Climate History". February 2017.
  25. ^ Schladebeck, Jessica (2 February 2024). "Staten Island Chuck, Punxsutawney Phil reach Groundhog Day consensus". New York Daily News.
  26. ^ Tracy, Thomas (2 February 2023). "Groundhog Staten Island Chuck predicts early spring for eighth year in a row". New York Daily News.
  27. ^ Miller, Joshua Rhett (2 February 2022). "Groundhog Day 2022: Staten Island Chuck makes prediction". nypost.com. NYP Holdings, Inc. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  28. ^ Lapin, Tamar (2 February 2021). "Staten Island Chuck predicts early spring". New York Post.
  29. ^ "Groundhog Day 2018: Staten Island Chuck predicts early spring". 2 February 2018.
  30. ^ Sheehan, Kevin; Steinbuch, Yaron (2 February 2017). "Groundhogs deliver different verdicts". New York Post.
  31. ^ Rosenberg, Eli (February 2, 2016). "Staten Island Groundhog Makes Star Turn, This Year Without de Blasio". N.Y./Region. New York, New York: The New York Times. Archived from the original on February 14, 2016. Retrieved February 14, 2016.
  32. ^ Steussy, Lauren (February 2, 2015). "Groundhog Day 2015: Staten Island Chuck calls for an early spring". Staten Island Advance. Retrieved February 2, 2015.
  33. ^ Lemire, Jonathan (February 2, 2013). "Groundhog Day 2013: Staten Island Chuck predicts early spring for New York City: Chuck did not see his shadow when he came out of his burrow at the Staten Island Zoo this morning". Daily News. New York, New York. Archived from the original on February 4, 2013. Retrieved February 14, 2016.
  34. ^ Silverstein, Irving (February 2, 2012). "Groundhog Day 2012: Staten Island Chuck predicts early spring". Staten Island Advance. Staten Island, NY.
  35. ^ "Groundhog Day 2011: It's an early spring! Staten Island Chuck did not see his shadow". Staten Island Advance. Staten Island, NY. February 2, 2011.
  36. ^ McWeeney, Michael (February 2, 2010). "Staten Island's famous Groundhog Chuck calls for an early spring". Staten Island Advance. Staten Island, NY.
  37. ^ Silverstein, Irving (February 2, 2009). "Staten Island Chuck predicts spring is near". Staten Island Advance. Staten Island, NY.
  38. ^ "NYC area's furry forecasters weighing in on winter". Newsday. Associated Press. 2008-02-02. Archived from the original on February 6, 2008.
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