Balzac Billy saw his shadow and called for six more weeks of winter

Balzac Billy emerged from his burrow shortly after 8 a.m. on Feb. 2 and, true to Groundhog Day tradition, saw his shadow, signalling six more weeks of winter for Alberta. The prediction came during a community celebration at the Blue Grass Garden Centre in Balzac that drew families from across the region.
The annual event ran from 7 to 9 a.m. and featured a free breakfast, family-friendly activities, and a live Facebook broadcast of Billy’s appearance. Children and adults alike gathered around the man-sized burrow as the familiar gopher mascot made his highly anticipated forecast, continuing a Prairie tradition that has been part of Alberta winters for decades.
Groundhog Day is observed each year on Feb. 2 across Canada and the United States. According to long-standing folklore, if a groundhog sees its shadow, winter is expected to last another six weeks. If no shadow appears, an early spring is said to be on the way. While the tradition remains popular, meteorologists have consistently noted that the predictions are symbolic and not based on scientific forecasting.
Balzac Billy is not a true groundhog. Groundhogs are not native to Alberta, so Billy is based on a Richardson’s ground squirrel, commonly referred to as a gopher on the Prairies. The character is portrayed by a person in a gopher suit and “lives” in a specially built, man-sized burrow outside the garden centre, making the event both theatrical and family-friendly.
Billy’s recent forecasts have been mixed. In 2025 and 2023, he did not see his shadow, calling for early springs. In contrast, shadow sightings in 2024, 2022, and again this year pointed toward extended winter conditions. Like other Groundhog Day predictions, the results are remembered more for tradition than accuracy.
Despite Billy’s wintery outlook, near-term weather forecasts for the Airdrie and Balzac area suggest milder-than-average February conditions. Environment Canada reports daytime highs well above seasonal norms for the coming week, with a mix of sun and cloud and temperatures climbing into the high single digits and low teens. Seasonal averages for early February typically sit around minus 3 C during the day and minus 16 C overnight.
Looking further ahead, The Old Farmer’s Almanac’s 2026 Canadian Spring Forecast projects cooler-than-normal and wetter conditions across much of the Prairies in April and May, with the possibility of late-season snow before a wetter spring pattern develops.
Across Canada and the United States, Groundhog Day predictions unfolded throughout the morning, with some prognosticators calling for early springs and others, like Balzac Billy, sticking with winter a little longer. Whether the forecast proves accurate or not, the annual celebration continues to offer a light-hearted pause in the middle of the winter season, bringing communities together for tradition, pancakes, and a shared moment of fun.