{{Short description|Weather-predicting groundhog in Cleveland, Ohio, US}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2024}} [[File:Murray aka Buckeye Chuck 2.jpg|thumb|Murray, a groundhog on residence at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History who currently serves as Buckeye Chuck.]] '''Buckeye Chuck''' is a groundhog at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History in Cleveland who predicts arrival of spring on Groundhog Day at an event in Marion, Ohio<ref>{{Cite web |title=Discover Ohio - Buckeye Chuck - Groundhog Day |url=http://consumer.discoverohio.com/searchdetails.aspx?detail=59605 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090803222033/http://consumer.discoverohio.com/searchdetails.aspx?detail=59605 |archive-date=August 3, 2009 |access-date=January 31, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |last=Nickoloff |first=Annie |date=January 10, 2024 |title=Buckeye Chuck, Ohio's Weather-Predicting Groundhog, Now Lives in Cleveland |url=https://clevelandmagazine.com/in-the-cle/buckeye-chuck-ohio-s-weather-predicting-groundhog-now-lives-in-cleveland |access-date=February 2, 2024 |magazine=Cleveland Magazine}}</ref>. He is one of two groundhogs in Ohio known for predicting the arrival of spring. Chuck began predicting the arrival of spring in the 1970s.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ohiohistorycentral.org/entry.php?rec=2399&nm=Buckeye-Chuck|title=Buckeye Chuck - Ohio History Central}}</ref> and the Ohio General Assembly declared Buckeye Chuck the official State Groundhog in 1979.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://pittsburgh.about.com/od/famous_groundhogs/Famous_Groundhogs_Around_the_World.htm |title=Famous Groundhogs Around the World - Punxsutawney Phil to Wiarton Willie |access-date=January 31, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110110085306/http://pittsburgh.about.com/od/famous_groundhogs/Famous_Groundhogs_Around_the_World.htm |archive-date=January 10, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> He previously resided in Marion until June 2023 until being relocated, though the Groundhog Day forecast and event are still held in Marion, with Buckeye Chuck brought in from Cleveland.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://wmrn.iheart.com/featured/local-news-wmrn/content/2026-01-09-buckeye-chuck-prepares-for-47th-annual-forecast-in-marion-ohio/|title=Buckeye Chuck Prepares for 47th Annual Forecast in Marion, Ohio|access-date=April 21, 2026|publisher=WMRN (AM)}}</ref> From 2006 to 2015, Chuck's forecast was correct only twice.<ref name=record>{{cite web|archive-url=https://archive.today/20160202001843/http://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2016/02/buckeye_chucks_groundhog_day_p.html|archive-date=February 2, 2016|url=http://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2016/02/buckeye_chucks_groundhog_day_p.html|title=Groundhog Day 2016: Buckeye Chuck's very spotty prediction record since 2006|first=Patrick|last=Cooley|publisher=cleveland.com|location=Cleveland, Ohio|access-date=February 14, 2016|date=February 1, 2016}}</ref>
According to the legend of Groundhog Day, the groundhog's behavior is a way of forecasting the weather. If the groundhog pops out from its burrow, sees his shadow, and then disappears again, it will mean that winter is to continue for six more weeks. But if the groundhog does not see its shadow, then it will not be scared to come out of its burrow and winter will soon end.
==Past predictions== {|class="wikitable" ! '''Year''' !! Prediction |- | 2026 || Early spring<ref>{{cite web|url=https://clevelandmagazine.com/articles/buckeye-chuck-predicts-an-early-spring-in-2026/|title=Buckeye Chuck Predicts An Early Spring In 2026|work=Cleveland Magazine|date=February 2, 2026|access-date=February 2, 2026}}</ref> |- | 2025 || Early spring<ref>{{cite web|url=https://groundhog-day.com/groundhogs/buckeye-chuck|title=Buckeye Chuck|date=February 2, 2024|access-date=February 2, 2024}}</ref> |- | 2024 || Early spring<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.10tv.com/article/news/local/groundhog-day-buckeye-chuck-ohio/530-1947e4d8-c1ea-405b-aa04-c95908f45151|title=Groundhog Day: Did Buckeye Chuck see his shadow?|work=WBNS-TV|date=February 2, 2024|access-date=February 2, 2024}}</ref> |- | 2023 || 6 more weeks of winter |- | 2022 || Early spring |- | 2021 || Early spring |- | 2020 || Early spring |- | 2019 || Early spring |- | 2018 || 6 more weeks of winter |- | 2017 || 6 more weeks of winter |- | 2016 || 6 more weeks of winter<ref>{{cite news |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240527175951/https://www.webcitation.org/6fIxbDdcU?url=http://www.wkyc.com/news/local/ohio/buckeye-chuck-6-more-weeks-of-winter/30151644 |archive-date=May 27, 2024 |url=http://www.wkyc.com/news/local/ohio/buckeye-chuck-6-more-weeks-of-winter/30151644 |title=Buckeye Chuck: 6 more weeks of winter |first=Andrew, Marion Star |last=Carter |publisher=WKYC |date=February 2, 2016 |access-date=February 16, 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> |- | 2015 || Early spring<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.marionstar.com/story/news/local/2015/02/02/chuck-says-early-spring-phil-disagrees/22734411/|title=Chuck says early spring; Phil disagrees|newspaper=The Marion Star|date=February 2, 2015|access-date=February 2, 2015}}</ref> |- | 2014 || Early spring<ref>{{cite news|first1=Gene J. |last1=Puskar |first2=Michael |last2=Rubinkam |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160223020644/http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/national_world/2014/02/02/0202-groundhogday-predictions.html |archive-date=February 23, 2016 |url=http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/national_world/2014/02/02/0202-groundhogday-predictions.html |title=Groundhog Day: Buckeye Chuck, Punxsutawney Phil make predictions |work=The Columbus Dispatch |agency=Associated Press|date=February 2, 2014 |access-date=February 14, 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> |- | 2013|| Early spring<ref>{{cite web|last=Williams|first=Mark|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130204053955/http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2013/02/02/02-buckeye-chuck-didnt-see-his-shadow.html|archive-date=February 4, 2013|date=February 2, 2013|url=http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2013/02/02/02-buckeye-chuck-didnt-see-his-shadow.html|title=Spring comes early according to Buckeye Chuck|publisher=The Columbus Dispatch|access-date=February 14, 2016}}</ref> |- | 2012|| Early spring<ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/MansfieldNJ/status/165052254796267520|newspaper=Mansfield News Journal| title=Buckeye Chuck in Marion fails to see shadow, 'predicts' spring is near|location=Mansfield, OH |date=February 2, 2012}}</ref> |- | 2011 || Early spring<ref>{{cite news|last=Seitz|first=Colleen|title=No shadows for Buckeye Chuck and Punxsutawney Phil mean early spring|url=http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/weather/weather_news/no-shadow-for-phil-means-early-spring|newspaper=WEWS|location=Cleveland, OH|date=February 2, 2011|access-date=February 2, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110204121202/http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/weather/weather_news/no-shadow-for-phil-means-early-spring|archive-date=February 4, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> |- | 2010 || Early spring<ref>{{cite news |title=Weather-Predicting Groundhogs Don't Agree |publisher=WCMH-TV |date=February 2, 2010 |url=http://www2.nbc4i.com/cmh/news/local/article/buckeye_chuck_to_make_predicition_today/31091/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120702230735/http://www2.nbc4i.com/cmh/news/local/article/buckeye_chuck_to_make_predicition_today/31091/ |archive-date=July 2, 2012 }}</ref> |- | 2009|| 6 more weeks of winter<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nbc4i.com/story/20732211/buckeye-chuck-makes-prediction-6-more-weeks |title=Buckeye Chuck Makes Prediction: 6 More Weeks |work=NBC4i.com|location=Columbus, OH|publisher=NBC4i|first=Donna |last=Willis|date= February 2, 2009|access-date=November 27, 2013}}</ref> |- | 2008|| Early spring<ref name=record/> |- | 2007|| Early spring<ref name=record/> |- | 2006 || 6 more weeks of winter<ref name=record/> |- |}
==See also== *Balzac Billy *Fred la marmotte *General Beauregard Lee *Punxsutawney Phil *Shubenacadie Sam *Staten Island Chuck *Stormy Marmot *Wiarton Willie
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.ohiohistorycentral.org/entry.php?rec=2399&nm=Buckeye-Chuck ohiohistorycentral.org] - Ohio History Central: Buckeye Chuck
{{Groundhog Day}}
Category:Individual groundhogs Category:Holiday characters Category:Oracular animals Category:Individual animals in the United States Category:Marion, Ohio Category:Museums in Cleveland Category:Culture of Ohio Category:Groundhog Day