No shadows for Buckeye Chuck and Punxsutawney Phil mean early spring

Buckeye Chuck and Punxsutawney Phil did not see their shadows Wednesday morning, meaning they are predicting an early spring.

Cheers went off in the NewsChannel5 newsroom when the announcement was made. ( Take our quiz! )

Those of us who have been dealing with winter storms since December long to see the grass in our yards and the sprouting of spring flowers.

Although, we know there is no way the snow and ice is done for the year Power of 5 meteorologist Mark Johnson said we can expect more storms in February and March.

 Phil emerged on Groundhog Day to make his 125th annual weather forecast to predict a shorter winter. Before Wednesday, Phil had seen his shadow 98 times and hadn't seen it 15 times since 1887.

The tradition traces its origins to a German superstition that calls for bad weather if an animal casts a shadow on Feb. 2, the Christian holiday of Candlemas.

The Ohio Legislature made Buckeye Chuck the state's official groundhog in 1979.

Do you believe Phil? Do you think it will be an early spring in northeast Ohio? Leave your comments below.