French Creek Freddie

Happy Groundhog Day! Since 1978, French Creek Freddie, the state’s official weather prognosticating groundhog, has been the star of the show at the West Virginia State Wildlife Center at French Creek in Upshur County. On Wednesday, February 2, Freddie is poised to continue his annual ritual at 10 a.m. Each Groundhog Day, Wildlife Center staff awakens the grumpy rodent and bring him out of his winter hibernation hole to allow him to look for his shadow and predict the severity of the remaining six weeks of winter. He’s usually right, but after making his forecast before an audience of hundreds of groundhog fans, including news media from around the state, he is more than happy to return to the warmth of his bed.