Gen. Lee on Groundhog Day: An early start to spring

LILBURN - Georgia's own weather-forecasting groundhog, General Beauregard Lee, apparently disagreed with his more well-known counterpart, Punxsutawney Phil, this Groundhog Day morning, calling for an early start to spring.

Residing at the Yellow River Game Ranch in Lilburn, the current General Lee is a 17-year-old groundhog and the second such animal to bear Lee's name at the ranch.

According to Yellow River's website, General Lee emerged from his plantation-style home in Gwinnett County to dense fog and 50-degree temperatures, failing to see his own shadow.

According to tradition, this means that the beginning of spring is just around the corner.

Conversely, if a groundhog exits its den on February 2nd and sees its shadow, then the nation will experience 6 more weeks of winter. That was the prediction of the world's most famous groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, made his forecast from Gobbler's Knob, Pennsylvania.

http://accesswdun.com/article/2014/2/270650