America’s most famous groundhog predicted six more weeks of winter on Monday, and so did at least one at Dan Nicholas Park.

But among groundhogs of America, there was a bit of disagreement over whether winter would continue or spring might come early.

Every year, Feb. 2 marks Groundhog Day, which originated from folklore. If the weather is cloudy and a groundhog emerges from its burrow and doesn’t see its shadow, then spring will come early. If the opposite happens, it means six more weeks of winter. Punxsutawney Phil, America’s most famous groundhog, saw his shadow Monday in his namesake town.

In a much smaller crowd of almost zero, at least one of Dan Nicholas Park’s groundhogs saw its shadow, said Nature Center Supervisor Bob Pendergrass. The park’s two groundhogs, named Tribble and Shadow, were out of their burrow briefly on Monday and quickly returned underground, Pendergrass said. The pair of groundhogs are the park’s fifth and sixth in 20 years, according to Pendergrass.

It was sunny enough outside for at least one of the groundhogs to cast a shadow, Pendergrass said.  After a brief appearance, the animals immediately returned to the warmth of their burrow and didn’t exit again, except for perhaps a brief snack on any remaining food from earlier in the day.

Dan Nicholas Park has previously held Groundhog Day events but chose not to this year.

Punxsutawney Phil is the most famous, but groundhog day celebrations were also held in Raleigh, where groundhog Sir Walter Wally didn’t see his shadow; New York City, where the groundhog predicted an early spring; and Atlanta, where the city’s groundhog also predicted an early spring.

Despite disagreement, Puxatawney Phil, who predicted a longer winter like Rowan’s groundhogs, has a success rate of about 80 percent.

Aside from any Groundhog Day events, the most memorable Dan Nicholas story concerning the park’s burrowing beasts occurred in the late 1990s .

At the time, Pendergrass said, a new staff member had just started working at the park. The unnamed staff member, Pendergrass said, accidentally let the groundhog named Carla escape from its cage.

For all Pendergrass knew, Carla had escaped for good.

But, about six months later, Pendergrass said, a farmer called Dan Nicholas Park, saying he had a groundhog living in his barn.

Pendergrass said he was hesitant at first, worrying about the nature of a wild groundhog. When he showed up to the barn to see the the animal, though, it walked right up to him.

“There was no doubt in my mind,” Pendergrass said. “I knew it was Carla.”

Contact reporter Josh Bergeron at 704-797-4246