Weather-Predicting Groundhog Dies Just Before His Big Day

It's Groundhog Day, but Milltown, NJ, isn't celebrating this year. "Milltown Mel," the town's weather-prognosticating groundhog, died within days of the holiday. "We Wranglers are sad to report that Milltown Mel recently crossed over the rainbow bridge," the groundhog's official Facebook page announced Tuesday. "Considering the average lifespan of a Groundhog is about 3 years, that is not such a shock, but Mel left us at a tough time of year, when most of his fellow groundhogs are hibernating...so no babies will be available to replace him until this Spring. We tried everywhere to get a stand-in, but to no avail!" Hence Wednesday's decade-old event is canceled, NBC News reports.

The New Jersey ceremony was inspired by the famous Gobbler’s Knob celebration in Punxsutawney, Pa., which started in 1887 and is the oldest Groundhog Day tradition in the US. That one, starring the groundhog Punxsutawney Phil, is still happening today (see how to watch it here); according to tradition, if he emerges from his hole and sees his shadow, we're getting six more weeks of winter weather; if he doesn't see his shadow, an early spring is predicted. Other nearby weather-predicting groundhogs include Dunkirk Dave and Staten Island Chuck in New York, and Buckeye Chuck in Ohio, NPR reports. (More groundhog day stories.)