Wiarton Willie Just Predicted An Early Spring Ahead Of Today's Massive Snowstorm

On Wednesday, a massive snowstorm will sweep across most of southern Ontario, making it very hard to dream about an early spring, but believe it or not, that's what is coming according to one local groundhog.

Wiarton Willie, Ontario's official Groundhog Day mascot, predicted an early spring during the early hours of Wednesday morning, giving residents a glimmer of hope as they prepare for another round of heavy snowfall.

The announcement was made by South Bruce Peninsula Mayor Janice Jackson, who "spoke" to Willie and relayed his prediction during the virtual event.

"The Wiarton Willie Festival" is celebrating its 66th anniversary this year. However, the prediction, which usually draws large crowds, was held virtually due to the Omicron variant and ongoing provincial restrictions.

"Thank you for being here, and I'm so sorry that we don't have a thousand people here. It's a little bit different, but you know the show must go on, and we're awful happy to have Willie here," Jackson said during her remarks.

The forecast seemed somewhat surprising during the live stream as snow could already be seen cascading down on the town.

The wintry weather appears to have been too much for Willie, who chose to stay cozy inside his straw-filled box, which was on stage during the announcement.

The news likely came as a relief for residents, but it's safe to say that Ontario won't be experiencing anything close to spring-like vibes on Wednesday.

Environment Canada has already issued several winter storm warnings across Ontario cities like Hamilton, London, Simcoe, Sarnia, Windsor, and the Niagara region.

Some regions could get as much as 30 centimeters of snow.