And now, a check of the weather...

Here in the Nutmeg State, it's easy to get excited over a pending snowstorm. Especially if you happen to work as a TV weatherman.

Regardless of what state you live in, though, have any of you kittens noticed that no two meteorologists make the same predictions?

Take for example, the weathermen here in our fair state of Connecticut. We have one weatherman who gets excited whenever a FLAKE of snow hits the ground. It doesn't matter that there's a prospect of a flurry or six inches, the storm gets HYPED. The other weathermen seem to be more realistic and relaxed over their predictions. But the one who hypes it up most gets the most attention from the viewers--even if his forecasts aren't exactly accurate.

But the day before the storm hits, it's a different story. Maps are plastered all over local newscasts, dividing the state into three tiers. The northern third of the state is usually highlighted in white, which indicates that they're going to get the most snow. The central tier is highlighted in light grey, indicating that they're going to get a moderate amount of snow, and the final tier, the shoreline, is highlighted pink or green. Typically, the shoreline area gets either mixed precipitation or straight out rain.

And then there's the actual day of the storm...oh boy.

Local newscasts start at 4 AM. As soon as one school calls in a delay or a closing, the crawl immediately starts at the bottom of the screen. Reporters are outside, in different areas of the state, describing the condition of the roads, the texture of the snow, and insisting that if you don't need to go anywhere, stay inside.

And it doesn't matter if it's an inch or two feet. This happens EVERY FRAKKIN' TIME we have a snow storm.

Now, as I write this on the eve of Groundhog Day, I realize that the weather-predicting rodents are no different than their human counterparts. Punxsutawney Phil and his brethren have been predicting the possibility of spring's arrival for many years now. However, no two predictions are the same. Phil is like the weatherman who gets excited whenever one flake of snow falls to the ground. His cousins are like the other more realistic weathermen: laid back, whatever happens, happens.

And Phil is the one who gets all the attention.

Even if his predictions aren't 100% accurate.

So who shall I be listening to tomorrow for my weather predictions? Will it be Punxsutawney Phil, Chuckles, or Sir Walter Willy? I think I'm gonna go with Staten Island Chuck. For me, nothing symbolizes the arrival of spring than the prediction of a city-dwelling rodent living in one of the outer boroughs.

Good luck Chuck!