Staten Island Chuck's Groundhog Day 2023 Prediction: Spring Is Coming

STATEN ISLAND, NEW YORK — New York City's own pint-sized prognosticator predicted Thursday morning that spring is coming to New York City.

He did not see his shadow.

Hundreds of early bird New Yorkers logged into Facebook Thursday morning to watch the livestream of Chuck's shadowy search from his home at the Staten Island Zoo.

Chuck took a quick sniff around as local students, electeds and zoo officials did their best to influence his decision.

"I don't see a shadow!" one man hollered. Chanted another person, "Spring, spring, spring."

It appears to have worked.

Students from Susan Wagner High School —who will be tracking the progress of Staten Island Chuck's prediction — joined the celebration Thursday morning to gather their data and promote sustainability.

"I really hope that Chuck predicts that it's spring," one student said.

Despite being overshadowed by his groundhog compatriot Punxsutawney Phil, Chuck boasts an 80 percent accuracy rate (compared to the Pennsylvania furball's 39 percent), the Staten Island Advance first reported.

Remember that when you read this next bit: Phil Thursday morning predicted six more weeks of winter.

"We don't know why people talk about him," said Staten Island District Attorney Michael McMahon, who has been attending the event for more than 20 years.

Mayor Eric Adams did not come in person, as past mayors have done, but addressed the crowd with a pre-taped message "from the safety of City Hall," emcees told the crowd.

This event historically has presented some risks to city hizzoners.

Chuck took a bite out of then Mayor Michael Bloomberg's finger in 2009. The chomp caused bad blood with the diminutive Bloomberg, who was caught on video calling him a "son of a b--ch" two years later.

The groundhog's distaste for mayors continued in 2014, when he squirmed out of former Mayor Bill de Blasio's hands. Evidently, death was preferable to being held by de Blasio — Chuck died days later of internal injuries.

"I'm here to make sure we don' have any mayoral assaults," the District Attorney said Thursday morning, "we don't have any hog-ocides."