(Lander, WY) – Wyoming’s most famous animal weather predictor, Lander Lil, just got a little more famous (and some bonafide credentials!), after the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) released their top three picks for the most accurate “groundhog” in the country for Groundhog Day predictions.
“In honor of Groundhog Day and in the spirit of fun, we pitted groundhogs from all over the United States against each other — and data from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information — to see who’s the most accurate, NOAA’s write-up informs.
Nineteen groundhogs and “alternative groundhogs” (including Lil and even a Tortoise) were selected for the competition, with the qualifications being “they must have been prognosticating for at least 20 years,” and “they must be active prognosticators as of February 2, 2024.”
Lander Lil nabbed third place behind General Beauregard Lee from Georgia in second place, Staten Island Chuck from New York in first, and a Special Mention for Punxsutawney Phil in Pennsylvania, who is “not the most accurate seasonal prognosticator” according to the NOAA, but received the honor due to his “beloved national celebrity.”
The famed prairie dog, who has been providing her meteorological expertise since Lander’s Centennial in 1984 and calls the yard near the Lander Post Office her home, appears to be hoping for an early spring like last year based on her Hawaiin shirt and shades.
(Note: Before any readers actually think this article is saying to trust a prairie dog’s statue for accurate weather, remember, this is meant to be all in good fun. Like NOAA says in their post, “These furry critters are usually looked to for fun rather than real forecasts. If you’re looking for the real deal, you can find the National Weather Service’s expected long-term forecast here.”)
Cue “I Got You Babe” by Sonny and Cher…