Milltown Mel, a groundhog who has for years offered his weather predictions on Groundhog Day, has died, his handlers say. They say Mel "recently crossed over the rainbow bridge" — and their Fans of Groundhog Day will be happy to know that its shining star, Punxsutawney Phil, has not died in 2022. Indeed, the famous animal emerged from his burrow on Feb. 2, 2022, and saw his shadow, predicting another extra six weeks of winter. Mel died just before Groundhog Day, leaving his community in central New Jersey "at a tough time of year, when most of his fellow groundhogs are hibernating." In a Facebook post, the wranglers New Jersey's beloved weather-predicting groundhog — Milltown Mel — has died. The animal prognosticator passed away on Sunday, days before he was supposed to make his annual Groundhog Day The new, Americanized tradition remained alive until the first official trek to today’s Groundhog Day location at Gobbler’s Knob in 1887, according to the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club. Then, tragedy struck again: The new Mel died shortly before Groundhog Day 2022. His last official words, posted on Facebook the previous February, were “See you in the spring.” Despite the death of Fred, the Groundhog Day festivities went on in Val-d'Espoir, as Blondin said Fred would have wished for a child to take his place in predicting the weather. Milltown, N.J. (News 12) - “Milltown Mel,” a celebrity groundhog from New Jersey, died days before he could predict the weather for the year on Groundhog Day. The groundhog offered his weather It is with a heavy heart we report that local celebrity Mel the Groundhog (a.k.a. Milltown Mel, named after his hometown of Milltown, New Jersey) has died, per NPR. The news broke just one day Milton Mel has been giving his predictions since 2009 when the town began its own Groundhog Day tradition. The Mel who passed away on Sunday was actually Mel 2.0, having replaced the OG Mel in 2015. Fans of Groundhog Day will be happy to know that its shining star, Punxsutawney Phil, has not died in 2022. Indeed, the famous animal emerged from his burrow on Feb. 2, 2022, and saw his shadow, predicting another extra six weeks of winter. The history and origin of Groundhog Day; How Groundhog Day works; Untimely Groundhog Day deaths. Milton Mel has been giving his predictions since 2009 when the town began its own Groundhog Day Several people were confused after the report, saying they thought Punxsutawney Phil died yesterday, a day before Groundhog Day, and the celebration was cancelled, but that is not the case. Major died on Groundhog Day after a decade of predicting the weather. Second Chances Wildlife Center/Facebook Brigitte Brouillard estimated that Major's predictions were accurate 50% of the time. Originally, Groundhog Day was a Celtic festival marking the year’s first cross-quarter day, or a midpoint between seasons. Read more about the ancient Celtic calendar here. Celebrated at the beginning of February, the day was called Imbolc —a term from Old Irish that is most often translated as “in the belly”—a reference to the soon The town's other albino groundhog had died the previous September, Brouwer said, so they didn't have a backup with just a week to go before Groundhog Day. How a small town in Ontario is mourning This year's Groundhog Day festivity in Milltown, New Jersey, is canceled, according to the Facebook post. "We Wranglers are sad to report that Milltown Mel recently crossed over the rainbow bridge Groundhog Day, in the United States and Canada, day (February 2) on which the emergence of the groundhog from its burrow is said to foretell the weather for the following six weeks. In the United States the most popular event occurs in Pennsylvania and centers on a groundhog designated Punxsutawney Phil. The Second Chances Wildlife Center shared on social media that their beloved weather-predicting groundhog, Major, died on Groundhog Day. "Sadly, and most ironically, Major passed away peacefully 10. Did the Groundhog catch some fog the other day? No, he mist. 11. What did Obi-Wan say to Groundhog? If every day feels like Groundhog Day, maybe it’s time to paws and reflect! 12. Why is Punxsutawney Phil always cold? Because he has many fans. 13. When does a groundhog come before a woodchuck? In the dictionary.
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