Making Predictions: Folklore vs. Science
On Groundhog's Day we anxiously await the prediction about how much more winter there will be, and when it will be spring. According to folklore, if it is cloudy when the groundhog emerges it will leave the burrow. This means that winter-like weather will soon end. If it is sunny, the shadow will make the groundhog retreat back into its burrow, and the winter weather will continue for six more weeks.

As citizen scientists, Journey North gardeners are excited about the use of science and technology to predict when spring will arrive in their schoolyard and the 420 other gardens across the Northern Hemisphere. Scientific observation and reporting allow us to study maps and clues to discover the true wave of spring. What pattern do you see on today's map for predicting spring's arrival?