Groundhog Day In Essex County: Weather, Super Bowl Predictions

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — An early spring and the Eagles in the Super Bowl. That’s the 2025 Groundhog Day prediction from the Turtle Back Zoo’s resident prognosticator, “Lady Edwina.”

According to the myth, if a groundhog sees their shadow on Feb. 2, the winter chill will continue. If the weather is cloudy and they don’t see their shadow, people can expect warmer temperatures and early spring.

Essex County typically adds a twist to the annual tradition, asking the resident groundhog at the zoo to predict a winner of the Super Bowl, too.

On Sunday, Lady Edwina did not see her shadow during the county’s annual Groundhog Day ceremony. She also predicted the Philadelphia Eagles would defeat the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX.

This is the fourth year that Essex Edwina has made mid-winter and Super Bowl forecasts. Her predecessor, Essex Ed, had been predicting the mid-winter forecast since 1997 and the zoo had various other groundhogs predict before him dating back to the 1970s.

“I’m not a fan of cold weather, so I appreciate Lady Edwina forecasting an early arrival for warmer, spring weather,” Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr. said.

Essex Edwina’s 2025 prediction follows below, as per the county:

Here we are once again, to look forward… not back

Should we replace those old mittens? Do we have shorts to unpack?

Well look, I’m over this winter and ready for spring

I want flowers, and picnics, not the touch of wind’s sting.

So today, I’m happy for clouds, no shadows to be found

Spring is much closer, and I am done underground.

That’s right get out those flip flops, the sun’s ready to shine

But before this is through, I have one more thing to divine

I picked Eagles last time and the Chiefs took the day

But I’m doubling down, now it will go Eagles’ way.

So, with no bad blood between us, I’ll look to the sky,

And with visions of touchdowns, cheer fly Eagles fly

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