BEE CAVE, Texas — Bee Cave Bob, the weather-predicting armadillo, emerged from his burrow at the West Pole on Monday and did not see his shadow, forecasting three more weeks of winter and an early spring.
The prediction came on Armadillo Day, a Texas twist on the traditional Groundhog Day.
“We decided that the Texas small mammal was a better thing to predict Texas weather than a Yankee rodent named Punxsutawney Phil,” said armadillo handler Tex Chamness.
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Mayor Kara King attended the festivities at the West Pole, where Bee Cave Bob made his annual appearance.
The forecast for an early spring comes as welcome news to residents still recovering from the recent bout of winter weather.
Bee Cave Bob has been making weather predictions for the city for 16 years, Chamness said, becoming a beloved local tradition.