(Marion)  - Ohio's prognosticating groundhog says spring will come early to the state.

For the fourth year in the row, Buckeye Chuck sent a signal Saturday that spring will come soon for Ohioans. Buckeye Chuck did not see his shadow at 7:39 a.m.

Hundreds attended the festivities held at WMRN-AM in Marion in north-central Ohio.

In Pennsylvania, Punxsutawney Phil has made his prediction. He also says expect an early spring.

A native of Ohio, Chuck began predicting the arrival of spring in the 1970s. In addition, the Ohio General Assembly declared Buckeye Chuck the official State Groundhog in 1979.

According to legend, the groundhog's behavior is a way of forecasting the weather.

If the groundhog pops out from its burrow on February 2nd, sees his shadow, and then disappears again, it will mean that winter is to continue for six more weeks.

But if the groundhog does not see its shadow, then it will not be scared to come out of its burrow and winter will soon end.

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