Is Wisconsin's Jimmy more accurate than Punxsutawney Phil?
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When you think of Groundhog Day, you think of the 126th celebration coming up Thursday in Punxsutawney, Jefferson County.
But actually, there's another celebration being held that day in the Groundhog Capital of the World -- the 64th annual celebration in Sun Prairie, Wis.
At that event, Jimmy (instead of Phil) the Groundhog will make his annual prognostication at 7:10 a.m. in downtown Sun Prairie, behind the Chamber of Commerce Building. If you miss the news, you can learn of his predictions at the Groundhog Hot Line at 1-608-837-4547.
Jimmy's forecast accuracy is approximately 80 percent, according to Sun Prairie officials. Although the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club says that Phil's predictions are (of course) 100 percent accurate, weather experts say it's closer to less than 40 percent.
The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club actually kicked off festivities on Saturday and they run through Feb. 4. The big event occurs at 7:20 a.m. Thursday, when Phil will leave his burrow at Gobblers Knob to make his prognostication.
If you can't make it in person, you can watch the webcast of Phil's prediction and show at http://www.visitPA.com/groundhog .
First Published January 29, 2012 12:00 am
