. . . but Ohio’s Chuck says spring will be early

MARION, Ohio (AP) — It’s been a warm winter for the Buckeye state, and it’s apparently ending a little early this year: at sunrise Saturday morning, Ohio’s own furry forecaster Buckeye Chuck failed to see his shadow.

According to tradition, that means an early spring instead of six more weeks of winter.

Under cloudy skies, before a crowd of about 200 people eating Spam sandwiches and drinking hot chocolate, the groundhog was pulled from his cage at 7:42 a.m.

His handlers report he looked around, but did not see his shadow.

The Ohio groundhog’s more famous neighbor, Punxsutawney Phil, did see his shadow this morning in Pennsylvania, and is calling for six more weeks of winter.

Buckeye Chuck was declared Ohio’s official groundhog in 1979.

Marion is 45 miles north of Columbus.