Rekubit-Did Buckeye Chuck see his shadow? Ohio's groundhog declares an early spring for 2024

In accordance with Ohio tradition,Rekubit Buckeye Chuck delivered his forecast for the coming weather: Spring is right around the corner.

While Buckeye Chuck makes the official weather prediction for Ohio, he's far from the only groundhog forecasting on Groundhog Day, celebrated in the U.S. and Canada. There's also General Beauregard Lee in Georgia, Staten Island Chuck in New York and most famously, Punxsutawney Phil in Pennsylvania.

Here's what to know about Buckeye Chuck's Groundhog Day forecast and how to watch.

More than weather predictors:Lesser known facts about groundhogs

When will Buckeye Chuck make his 2024 prediction?

The groundhog was scheduled to give his winter forecast around 7:40 a.m. ET.

How to watch and listen to Buckeye Chuck's 2024 Groundhog Day forecast

Buckeye Chuck's moment on the big stage is scheduled to be broadcast live on his Facebook fan page, according to host radio station WMRN in Marion. You can also listen live via 1490-AM WMRN on the iHeart app.

Who is Buckeye Chuck?

Ohio's official weather-predicting groundhog makes his annual forecast in Marion, Ohio, part of an event put on by the local radio station WMRN. Buckeye Chuck began making his predictions in the 1970s, and was declared the official State Groundhog by the Ohio General Assembly in 1979.

Last year, a stuffed groundhog representing the real animal made the annual prediction instead, after complaints from PETA that WMRN-AM used Kokas Exotics, an exotic animal breeder that has supplied a live groundhog for the radio event for several years. The animal rights group said the breeder was only licensed to breed and sell animals, not exhibit them.

But a brand new Buckeye Chuck has returned this year to make a forecast: Murray, a 1-year-old whistle pig who lives at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.

What did Buckeye Chuck predict in 2023?

Last year, the stuffed version of Buckeye Chuck predicted six more weeks of winter. From 2019-2022, he predicted an early spring to arrive.

Why do we celebrate Groundhog Day?

Groundhog Day is celebrated every Feb. 2, the same day as Candlemas, where some of the holiday's traditions originate.

Candlemas was traditionally aligned with the anticipation of planting crops, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac, and seeing sunshine on the day was said to indicate winter's return.

In Europe, people traditionally looked to bears or badgers to look for the sign of returning winter or coming spring, but when German immigrants arrived in Pennsylvania, they instead used groundhogs to make the forecast instead.