New Jersey’s Garden State groundhog, Milltown Mel, has died after years of offering residents a weather prediction on the annual holiday, Groundhog Day. 

Started by Jerry and Kathy Guthlein, New Jersey’s groundhog Mel’s predictions began ten years ago. Days before the annual Feb. 2 ceremony, Mel passed over the rainbow bridge. 

“He died at a tough time of year, when most of his fellow groundhogs are hibernating,” Mel’s handlers, the Milltown Wranglers said. “We are scrambling to replace him before this year’s Groundhog Day.” 

In the wild the average lifespan for a groundhog is 3-4 years. In captivity, they can live for 8-12 years. New Jersey’s residents will have to rely on one of Mel’s cousins to predict the end of winter.

“We will work hard on getting us a new weather prognosticator for next year, but the New Jersey residents should check out what all of Mels cousins have to say,” the Wranglers said.

While New Jersey citizens look for a new groundhog, the students of PHS and the community of Powell predict a cold, long winter even without an annual groundhog to forecast the regular Wyoming extensive winter season. 

“I don’t believe in Groundhog Day,” senior Russel Baer said. “A groundhog shouldn’t predict the weather, winter will end when it ends.”  

Some believe Mother Nature is the one who controls our weather predictions while others trust solely on the weather forecast from the local news station. Unless you believe in Groundhog day, then Mel’s passing would be considered irrelevant. 

“RIP Milltown Mel on his recent passing,” Baer said. “I never paid attention to Groundhog Day or Mel. His passing did not have a sentimental effect on me.” 

Some states such as Wyoming don’t have any groundhogs to predict the weather, this could be due to our climate or the common belief that groundhogs are incapable of predicting the weather. 

“We probably don’t have a groundhog because of how cold it is in Powell, Wyoming.” Harvison said. “[And] I wouldn’t want a groundhog to decide my weather anyways.”