Groundhog Day 2026: Fred in Quebec predicts spring’s early arrival

By Canadian Press on February 2, 2026.

HALIFAX — Quebec’s Fred la Marmotte has made his prediction of Groundhog Day, calling for an early spring.

The famous groundhog in Quebec’s Gaspésie region reportedly did not see his shadow this morning.

According to legend, there will be six more weeks of winter if a groundhog sees their shadow, and an early spring if they don’t.

Fred made his prediction after some singing and dancing at the early morning event in Val-d’Espoir, Que. After Fred was shown to the crowd and recieved from kisses from his handler, he was taken put in his cabin to look for a shadow, and a child held up a sign that read “un printemps hâtif” — meaning an early spring.

One of Canada’s most famous groundhogs, Nova Scotia’s Shubenacadie Sam, did not go ahead with her typical prediction event due to a forecast that calls for yet another winter storm in her home province.

The Nova Scotia government announced the cancellation saying blowing snow could create unsafe driving conditions for people travelling to Sam’s home at Shubenacadie Wildlife Park, about 50 kilometres north of Halifax. The provincial government said because she will not see a shadow today, folklore calls for an early spring.

Environment Canada had winter storm and snowfall warnings for most of northern Nova Scotia and Cape Breton late Sunday, calling for up to 25 centimetres in some areas.

Wiarton Willie, in Bruce County, Ont., is still set to make a prediction today.

Last year, Canada’s famous prognosticating rodents were split over spring’s arrival.

Meanwhile, Lucy the Lobster in the southwestern Nova Scotia community of Barrington is also set to make her predictions. Since 2018, the prognosticating crustacean has been used to kick off the Nova Scotia Lobster Crawl festival.

The tradition has ties to medieval Europe, when farmers believed that if hedgehogs emerged from their burrows to catch insects, it was a sure sign of early spring.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 2, 2026.

— With files from The Associated Press.

The Canadian Press