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Groundhogs Punxsutawney Phil And Staten Island Chuck Predict Early Spring, But Woodstock Willie Does Not

WOODSTOCK, Ill. (CBS) -- While Punxsutawney Phil predicted an early spring out in Pennsylvania this Groundhog Day, his counterpart in the northwest suburban burg that stood in for Punxsutawney in a certain famous movie was not so optimistic.

Or maybe he was, if you like winter.

A record crowd of more than 2,500 people gathered at Woodstock Square in Woodstock on Sunday for the annual Groundhog Days Festival.

Woodstock Willie emerged from his burrow at 7:07 a.m., with the sun out and the temperature measuring 38 degrees.

Before going back to his burrow and resuming hibernation, Woodstock Willie did, in fact, cast a shadow. Thus, six more weeks of winter are expected.

It was a different story in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania about half an hour earlier. Punxsutawney Phil did not see his shadow and thus predicted an early spring.

And Woodstock Willie is bucking a trend in being a killjoy among prominent American groundhogs. In New York, Staten Island Chuck didn't see his shadow either.

For what it's worth, CBS affiliate WISC-TV in Madison reported Sunday that Jimmy the Groundhog of Sun Prairie, Wisconsin also saw his shadow and predicted six more weeks of winter.

In Woodstock, the Groundhog Days Festival celebrates the 27th anniversary of the Harold Ramis comedy classic "Groundhog Day," starring Bill Murray as Pittsburgh TV weatherman Phil Connors. The movie was shot in Woodstock in 1992 and released the following year.

And six more weeks of winter or not, Chicagoans on Sunday did get to enjoy a sunny day for the first time in what seems like ages, with highs topping out at a balmy and record-setting 52.

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