Famed New Jersey groundhog meteorologist Milltown Mel dies just before Groundhog Day

Milltown Mel, considered one of New Jersey’s weather-predicting groundhogs, died on Sunday — simply days earlier than the massive annual ceremony.

His dying was introduced on the groundhog’s official Fb web page. It wasn’t instantly clear how the groundhog died.

This 12 months’s Groundhog Day festivity in Milltown, New Jersey, is canceled, in accordance with the Fb put up.

“We wranglers are unhappy to report that Milltown Mel not too long ago crossed over the rainbow bridge,” in accordance with a Fb put up. “Mel left us at a troublesome time of 12 months, when most of his fellow groundhogs are hibernating… so no infants shall be accessible to interchange him till this Spring. We tried all over the place to get a stand-in, however to no avail!”

Milltown Mel was began by Jerry and Kathy Guthlein “and has continued for 10 years,” in accordance with Milltown’s web site. “On February 2 of yearly, Milltown Mel predicts whether or not we’ll see an finish to winter or one other six weeks of chilly climate.”

The custom was impressed by the unique Groundhog Day, which was celebrated for the primary time on February 2, 1887, at Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.

“In response to custom, if a groundhog comes out of its gap on this present day and sees its shadow, it will get scared and runs again into its burrow, predicting six extra weeks of winter climate; no shadow means an early spring,” Milltown’s web site states.

This 12 months, mourners of Milltown Mel are being requested to tune into his cousins’ predictions on Groundhog Day.

“We’ll work laborious on getting us a brand new climate prognosticator for subsequent 12 months,” the Fb put up reads, “until then please take a look at what all of Mel’s cousins must say on Feb 2nd.”