Today is Groundhog Day and according to Manitoba Merv, it looks like we will have an early spring this year.

According to folklore, if the groundhog emerges on February second and sees his shadow, we will have another six weeks of winter. If he does not, spring is supposed to arrive early. Natalie Bays from Oak Hammock Marsh says their groundhog, Manitoba Merv poked his head out this morning after the sun rose at 7:58 a.m.

"I’ve got an official no-shadow for you. It does mean early spring, we hope, of course across the country our winters are a little bit longer than others, so early spring relative to Manitoba. I will add that caveat there."

Meteorologist Natalie Hasell with Environment Canada says this year Manitoba Merv’s predictions may be a little bit off.

"Looking at the forecasts that are currently available, they were issued yesterday, looks like we have a signal for well below normal temperatures for the February, March, April period. We have already been experiencing some quite cold stretches and we are in the middle of another one now."

Hasell notes though we should get below normal temperatures, it doesn't mean we won't have some warm spells now and then. She notes as for the groundhog, she's not sure what to think of the tradition of wakening a hibernating groundhog at this time of year.

"It's still in hibernation," she notes. "They are artificially heating up the den of this animal, so that it wakes up, pokes its head out of this hole. This just seems like unusual treatment of this animal."