If Aaron Tyburksi were a betting man, he'd put his money on Punxsutawney Phil seeing his shadow on Tuesday, thus predicting six more weeks of winter.
"My best educated guess is the groundhog will predict six more weeks of winter," Tyburski, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said Sunday.
Tyburski said he based his prediction on "what we're seeing throughout the winter."
"Based on weather patterns, it is going to remain chilly," he said.
This winter had been colder than normal and nothing on the horizon indicates that will change any time soon, he said.
Tyburski said he is not sure of the exact calculation Phil uses to make his forecast, but assumes folklore mixed with some knowledge of weather trends has something to do with it.
Colder-than-normal temperatures should continue, he said.
"High temperatures should be around 30 all week with lows between 15 and 20 degrees," Tyburski said.
"It's still slightly below normal, but it's going to feel better than it has," he said. "We won't have that biting wind."
There could be snow, though not much in the way of accumulation, Tuesday night and through the weekend, Tyburski said.
"It looks like the majority of the week will be dry," he said.
Tyburski said the silver lining to six more weeks of winter is that the first warm day in the spring will be much more enjoyable.
