Longer winter? We go to the NJ groundhogs (and hedgehog) for their report

⛅Punxsutawney Phil is calling for an early spring

⛅Lady Edwina at Turtle Back Zoo also picked a Super Bowl winner

⛅A hedgehog also went outside to look for her shadow

Most of New Jersey's groundhogs and hedgehogs are in agreement with Punxsutawney Phil and are calling for an early spring.

Lady Edwina at Turtle Back Zoo in West Orange was brought outside to make her prediction as the sun came up Friday morning. She did not see her shadow. Legend has it that means an early spring.

"I am happy to report sun is coming in fast. Spring will be early, winter will be part of the past," said a zoo official who witnessed Edwina while she was outside.

As a bonus, Edwina also picked the Kansas City Chiefs to top the San Francisco 49ers in the upcoming Super Bowl. Although Edwina would love to meet Taylor Swift, whose boyfriend Travis Kelce plays for the Chiefs, there is no plan for Edwina to be in Las Vegas for the game.

It all started with a hedgehog

State Sen. Parker Space, R-Sussex, said Stonewall Jackson at his family's Space Farms Zoo & Museum in Wantage did not see his shadow Friday morning.

Elsa the Hedgehog at the Cape May County Zoo went the other way in her prediction and saw her shadow.

According to the zoo, the groundhog tradition began in Europe hundreds of years ago with hedgehogs being used to help with the weather. When they came to the new world they found hedgehogs are not native so they used groundhogs instead.

46 days left in winter

Just after sunrise Friday, the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club announced Phil did not see his shadow, which will usher in early springlike weather. The groundhog seeing his shadow presages six more weeks of winter, according to the group.

New Jersey 101.5 Chief Meteorologist Dan Zarrow said that groundhogs are terrible at predicting the weather.

"The deep folklore and traditions surrounding this 'holiday' are fascinating. But please remember, it's all in good fun: The groundhogs' overall forecast accuracy is terrible, and their 'prognostications' have no basis in science or nature," Zarrow said.

Zarrow said there are 46 days until the Vernal Equinox on Tuesday, March 19 at 11:06 p.m.

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