The groundhog can keep sleeping — Sand Mountain Sam stepped in.This docile opossum woke up at Bama Bucks to predict if there will be six more weeks of winter — and the event was done "in a hillbilly kind of a way," according to the restaurant and deer farm.Watch the full event above.Sam didn't see his shadow - which means an early spring! In line with the famous groundhog Punxsutawney Phil, Sand Mountain Sam has predicted an early spring for 2024. He’s an opossum from Albertville, and Sand Mountain Sam has predicted the coming of spring on Groundhog Day since 1993, according to CountdownToGroundhodgDay.com. More about Sand Mountain Sam Sand Mountain Sam is a legendary prognosticating opossum from Albertville, Alabama, who has been making predictions for over a decade. In 2020, the state game warden nearly cancelled the tradition (usually, having a possum as a pet is against the law), but in 2022 Sam returned, emerging from a whiskey barrel to predict an early spring. Location: Albertville, Alabama, United States Description: Sand Mountain Sam is a possum who has predicted the weather every Groundhog Day since 1993 in Albertville, Alabama, for radio station 105.1 WGSB. Every year a new Sam is caught for the ceremony and then released back into the wild after they make their prediction. Groundhog Day’s Punxsutawney Phil can move over. North Alabama has its own unique mascot. Sand Mountain Sam, an opossum from Albertville, will make his weather prediction for the rest of winter this Friday. Sand Mountain Sam’s past Groundhog Day predictions SARDIS CITY, Ala. (WHNT) — North Alabama’s Groundhog Day mascot, Sand Mountain Sam, did not see his shadow! Early Friday morning in Pennsylvania, Punxsutawney Phil did not see his shadow It simply was a chance to have a little fun centered on Alabama’s favorite marsupial, Sam being an opossum. (The initial “o” was nowhere to be seen, mind you.) There was a Possum Queen (Sardis High School student Morgan Howington) and her court; entertainment (bluegrass pickin’, harmonica and spoons playing, clogging and hamboning; and According to a press release from WQSB radio, Alabama state game wardens have shut down the Groundhog Day tradition. The official “Possum Handler” was told that having a possum as a pet is against the law, and continuing the event would result in the arrest of anyone involved. WQSB says the Possum Day Celebration will continue but without You’ve heard of the groundhog, Texas’ armadillo, Alabama has a possum by: WAFF's Allen Stroud. Posted: Feb 2, Huntsville, Alabama (WAFF) — Groundhog Day is Saturday, but people in That means an early spring, according to a hillbilly version of the Groundhog Day tradition, which relies on the predictive abilities of a possum rather than a groundhog. Festivities at Bama Bucks Wildgame Restaurant and Animal Park brought out local residents and officials, students, and performers. Birmingham Jill the 2021 Groundhog Day forecaster. (Birmingham Zoo) Smith Lake Jake and Birmingham Jill are back in business! On January 31 and February 2, the two furry friends are set to make their weather projections for the year. Keep reading to learn more about these events and how you can celebrate Groundhog Day. Groundhog Day appearance: Birmingham Bill will emerge from his habitat following a show Tuesday in the Birmingham Zoo auditorium. Games and activities begin at 9 a.m., followed by a wildlife show BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The Birmingham Zoo held its annual Groundhog Day celebration Friday with its 1-year-old opossum predicting whether or not spring will come early. Forecaster Type: Opossum Location: Birmingham, Alabama, United States Description: Birmingham Jill is an opossum who filled in for Birmingham Zoo's resident groundhog Birmingham Bill, on Groundhog Day, in 2019 when Bill was going through hibernation. The possum has been around for at least 70 million years and is one of Earth’s oldest surviving mammals. The name ‘opossum’ was first used in western culture by Captain John Smith in 1608. It comes from the Algonquin name ‘apasum’, which means ‘white animal’. In a special ceremony at Bama Bucks, a Tennessee possum emerged from a whiskey barrel to predict an early spring. A Huntsville dog by the name of Cosmo issue its prediction a few minutes later at 8 a.m. Mayor Tommy Battle and Huntsville Animal Services Director Dr. Karen Sheppard promoted adopting and fostering animals as part of the City’s The Birmingham Zoo held its annual Groundhog Day celebration Friday with its 1-year-old opossum predicting whether or not spring will come early. Sand Mountain Sam the possum tried to see its shadow on Thursday in a Sand Mountain take on Groundhog Day. have a little fun centered on Alabama’s favorite SARDIS CITY, Ala. - It’s Groundhog Day and that means it’s time to head to Sardis City, Alabama, to hear from everyone’s favorite meteorologist, Sand Mountain Sam. Many people are familiar with Punxsutawney Phil, but not many people know about Sand Mountain Sam in Marshall County. Move over, Punxsutawney Phil. Alabama has Sand Mountain Sam, and we think you'll like his prediction. Happy Possum Day! WQSB 105.1 has been putting on Possum
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