Groundhog Day Long Island: Malverne Mel, Holtsville Hal agree it's 6 more weeks of winter

Surrounded by frozen piles of snow amid biting cold, Long Island’s furry forecaster Malverne Mel gave out a croak and revealed he had "seen" his shadow, meaning Long Island was in for six more weeks of winter.

Mel, who is a groundhog, made his annual "prediction" at the gazebo near the Malverne LIRR station Monday as a crowd bundled in layers cheered on the rotund rodent, Mayor Timothy Sullivan and a bevy of dignitaries. The crowd then booed his frigid forecast.

The prognostication was made in temperatures hovering around 15 degrees with northwest winds of 12 mph and a wind chill of zero.

Meanwhile in Suffolk, the Holtsville zoo may be closed, but its most famous resident, groundhog Holtsville Hal, made his spring prediction in a prerecorded appearance on the Brookhaven Town website.

Unfortunately, Hal also "saw" his shadow and retreated to his den, foretelling another six weeks of winter.

About 350 miles from Malverne, another famous groundhog was making predictions. Pennsylvania’s Punxsutawney Phil reportedly "saw" his shadow at his home at Gobbler’s Knob, agreeing with his fellow forecasters on Long Island. 

Staten Island Chuck, New York City's representative in the 2026 Groundhog Day forecasting festival, made it unanimous for the region, "telling" a gathering at the Staten Island Zoo that he too saw his shadow and another six weeks of winter is ahead of us.

Back in Malverne, spectators stood before fire barrels set up in the Long Island Rail Road parking lot to stay warm as they awaited the big rodent reveal. Others stayed warm inside the waiting area at the LIRR station, where the Malverne Civic Association offered hot chocolate and where the winning artwork of the annual poster competition was displayed.

Retired teachers Suzy Sciarrino, 61, of Bohemia, and Joann Sheridan, 67, of Bethpage, wore hats with groundhog faces on them. Sciarrino said she enjoyed teaching first graders about Groundhog Day in the West Islip  school district for 31 years but never could attend a ceremony.

"I loved teaching about it. The kids loved it," Sciarrino said while also wearing an "I Love Groundhog Day" sweater. "It’s just a fun legend."

When she retired, she and other teachers visited Holtsville Hal and then traveled to Pennsylvania to see Punxsutawney Phil.

This is the first time Sciarrino and Sheridan saw Malverne Mel, a bucket-list event.

After the ceremony sisters Emma Heyman, 9, and Jo Heyman, 5, of East Northport, posed for a picture with stuffed groundhog toys they brought from home.

Their mother, Melissa Heyman, 41, said they had won the toys in a raffle when they went to a Groundhog Day event in Quogue last year.

The family tries to see a groundhog every year before the school day.

Malverne Mel’s prediction caused mixed reactions for the family.

While Emma wanted an early spring because she "can’t stand the winter" because there is "too much snow," her sister disagreed.

"I like the snow," Jo said.

Mayor Sullivan told the crowd Mel does not live in Malverne year-round but in Middle Island with the STAR Foundation, a nonprofit that rescues and rehabilitates animals.

"Mel was rescued quite a many years ago, and he was both sick and injured, and the STAR Foundation nursed him back to good health," Sullivan said.

When the big moment came, the excitement had built to a near frenzy.

"What does everybody think? 
Are we looking for an early spring?" Sullivan said to a cheering crowd. "Or a late winter?" he said, to which the crowd booed.

And after "speaking" with Mel, Sullivan addressed the crowd: 

"I do today proclaim that on the second day of February, and the year 2026, I was witness to Malverne Mel, who prognosticated to me that upon looking for a shadow, it could surely be seen. So I must now announce that there will be six more weeks of winter," Sullivan said.

 The throng expressed displeasure with the forecast.

Groundhog Day has its origins in the European Christian celebration of Candlemas Day, when the faithful would take their candles to church on Feb. 2 to have them blessed. If the day was sunny, it meant six more weeks of winter. A cloudy Candlemas meant spring was near.

In Germany, the tradition evolved using a hedgehog as the spiny seer of spring. When Germans immigrated to America, they brought the tradition to Pennsylvania, substituting groundhogs for the erinaceidae native to Europe and other continents, but not North America.