(Un)happy Groundhog Day: Essex Ed Predicts Six More Weeks of Winter

Get used to the grey skies and frigid temperatures, Bloomfield.

Essex Ed, the hyperlocal groundhog at Essex County's Turtle Back Zoo, predicted yesterday winter will last another six weeks.

The news is not a total shock for residents, who have now seen five accumulating snowstorms, including the Dec. 26 blizzard and yesterday's ice storm. But the prognostication certainly is not optimal.

"There is no question we have had one of the worst winters ever," said Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo Jr. "I was hoping for some better news, but Essex Ed is the expert and we all just have to toughen it out until spring arrives."

According to Turtle Back Zoo Director Jeremy Goodman, Essex Ed comes from a long line of weather-predicting groundhogs. Ed, who was an orphan when he arrived at the zoo nine years ago, has given the correct forecast in seven of the last eight years.

"Spring is in (Ed's) heart," said Goodman, "but the winter weather is here for another six weeks."

Punxatawney Phil, on the other hand, predicted an early spring from his hole in Pennsylvania.