Punxsutawney Phil emerged from his Gobbler’s Knob burrow in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, to forecast another six weeks of harsh winter.
But while thousands of spectators gathered to cheer on the charming critter, celebrations in New York were tinged with touch of sorrow and regret.
February 2 marks the fourth anniversary of Mayor de Blasio dropping Charlotte, a stand in for the the famous Staten Island groundhog, Charles G. Hogg – affectionately known as Chuck.
The unfortunate incident burnt into the collective memories of Staten Island residents, happened in 2014, when the Mayor lifted up the critter at the annual Staten Island Zoo Groundhog Day event.
But in an attempt to free herself from Mr de Blasio, Charlotte squirmed and leaped from his arms only to suffer fatal injuries in the fall.
An official necropsy report into Charlotte’s death later found she died due to “acute internal injuries”.
The zoo’s groundhog has been making weather predictions for more than three decades.
Today the Mayor’s office announced Mr de Blasio would not attend the event, due to a busy schedule.
Spokesman Eric Phillip jokingly said: “It’s a big city and the mayor’s got lots to manage. Groundhogs don’t always make the cut.
“And the mayor’s committed to keeping our city the safest big city in the United States, for everyone.”
In fact, 2014 was the last time the Mayor attended Staten Island’s Groundhog Day.
As a result of the incident, Chuck is now presented to the crowds in a safe glass enclosure.
Zoo spokesman Brian Morris said at the time: “Maybe he (the groundhog) should just be displayed emerging or not emerging from his enclosure.”
But despite the sombre circumstance, the good news is that Chuck emerged today to predict an early spring for the United States.
The positive announcement came shortly after Punxsutawney Phil ominously predicted six more weeks of a bitter cold winter.
Folklore tales and legends across the US claim that groundhogs awake from their winter slumber on February 2, to predict an early spring or longer winter.
If a groundhog steps outside and sees its shadow, then that is believed to forecast six more weeks of cold temperatures, snow and gloom.
The tradition is believed to have originated in Germany and has been tied to early Christian rituals forecasting the end of winter.
The Groundhog Day Club says: “The celebration of Groundhog Day began with the Germans, Pennsylvania’s earliest settlers.
“They brought with them the legend of Candlemas Day, which states ‘For as the sun shines on Candlemas day, so far will the snow swirl in May’.
“The settlers found that groundhogs were plentiful and were the most intelligent and sensible animal to carry on the legend of Candlemas Day.”
Today Groundhog day is a nation-wide celebration with several states and cities hosting their own weather-forecasting rodents, and even spawned a hit 1983 comedy starring Bill Murray and Andie McDowell.