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Matt Hammer

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But what this weather did not provide is a shadow or reason to hide glad tidings on this groundhog day and early spring is on the way.

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22WCmatt5aa_2024-02-02-05-56-10

It is groundhog day 2024. But come on, who really needs a groundhog? Matt ham not. I, no, we do not need it because Matt Hammer is taking weather on the road today to Muscat Farm at Cantona where a very special chicken is gonna make her prediction for Spring Matt. Good morning. I still don't know how I feel about this, but I think Henrietta is grown on me, just did the big unveil that Henrietta a second ago. And you know what, let's bring Henrietta in right now. It's early and she's pretty quiet right now. If you remember last year, Henrietta was not so quiet. I'm sure that'll change pretty, pretty quickly. Joining us right now is also Jon Jonathan Benjamin director here of Musket Farm. Thank you so much for waking up super early and joining us this morning. How did this whole thing get started? Yes. So, uh I do a lot of traveling and uh one day I was traveling back from the Midwest and uh I went past the sign that said PXU Tai and I started to wonder if we had any, you know, magical animals at the, at our farm. So when I came back, I kind of walked around and, uh, that's when I met Henrietta and, you know, she told me right away that she had some special, uh, weather predicting power. She actually called herself a feathered forecaster. Yeah. So, uh, from that day on, she started to predict our weather for us. And, uh, this is our sixth year of doing this. So we'll see, what is it fair to say? Henrietta is probably the most confident chicken you've ever met. Oh, absolutely. Yeah. Without question, she is, uh, heads above everybody else. The accuracy been these first six years here, I mean, five years with, with the weather in New York, it seems pretty accurate just because we haven't had really bad winters. So she's every time so far predicted that it's to be an early and this has nothing to do with a shadow. Right. It's, if hetta lays an egg, yes, we sequester her, starting about now and then let her do her thing. And if by the time our events start, she's laid an egg, then it means that spring is on its way. If there's no egg, then six more weeks and people can come down at 10 this morning. See the event themselves. Let's get to weather for a second here right now as we get you going on this Friday morning. This is just I'm warming up to already, but we'll get some more of that in just a little bit. We have temperatures up right now. Upper thirties and low forties. A bit of a chilly start. Not awful for this time of the year though. We did have a few showers come through during the overnight hours. Right now, Doppler radar is pretty quiet coming up in just a few minutes. We will have a full update on the sunnier stretch to come and so much more right here, live from us, farm on this Friday morning.

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22WCmatt530_2024-02-02-05-57-00

Well, we've been touting Groundhog day for a couple of days now. It's not meteorologist, Matt Hammer's favorite occasion, but we decided to change that and we knew exactly where to send him to make that happen. We did, we sent him to Musco Farm and he's hanging out with Cluan Henrietta, the chicken. She predicts whether or not spring is gonna be coming. Matt. I hope you're making friends. She looks very nice. Not very vocal this morning. What do you think? So, Henrietta is starting to become a little vocal, came a little shy so far. I'm sure that'll be changing here over the next couple of hours. It's a big day for Henrietta. Come on in here, Jonathan, Jonathan Benjamin farm director here at Musco for there we go. Some noise from Henrietta there. Good morning to you and, and the chicken. Thank you. Thank you. Um, so for those who don't know, just quickly again, how did this whole thing get started? We have a chicken on Groundhog day just trying to get in the mix here and try to take my job, I guess. I don't know. Well, I, I'll say this, I just wanted right off the bat. I know there's a little bit of a rivalry, but Henrietta wanted to say best of luck to you this morning and on all your, uh, predictions. And, um, also, you know, this is sort of just a fun program that kind of came from driving around this, this country and, uh, driving through Pakatan and, uh, trying to decide what we could do to capitalize on that. The weather predicting phenomena here here in the, the Great States. And so, and so at 10 o'clock this morning, explain what's gonna be happening. So, Henrietta is going to be trying to predict spring or, or an, a late winter. So what's gonna happen is after we get done, she's gonna go back in and if she lays an egg between now and the program that starts at 10 o'clock, then it'll be an early spring and if not, then it's six more weeks of winter and it's 10 to 11 this morning, big celebration no matter what happens. So, come on down would love to meet everybody and see if Henrietta thinks that we're gonna have an early spring or not. I'm not sure if I'm buying it. I don't know. We'll see we'll talk about that coming up in just a few minutes, a little bit more. But right now, let's get you out the door on this Friday on this groundhog day as we take a look at the forecast for today this morning's spotty shower, mostly cloudy skies. The local groundhog should not see their shadow. We know what that means. Temperatures in the upper thirties and low forties right now. It's chilly. Just have the heavier jacket with you, but it could be a whole lot colder this time of day, this time of the year. Top of the radar, not too much going on. You see a little blip of green in a few spots, few spotty light sprinkles around the lower Hudson Valley. But for the most part, it is an ok start to the day. The steadier of the showers came through last night. So future cast a little overdone with the showers, but a spotty shower chances there through the morning the afternoon, some breaks of sunshine and then this evening, clearer skies will finally arrive here across the Hudson Valley. So as we take that mood cast today, smile where the weather for sure. Just because we are brightening things up later in the day. Tonight, we will have those overnight temperatures dropping back down into the upper twenties to near 30 as we go through the weekend sunshine finally back in full force tomorrow, Sunday and also on Monday with the warm up later on next week, much more in just a few minutes.

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22WCmatt 630_2024-02-02-07-55-59

Well, meteorologist Matt Hammer has really been counting down till today. It's actually his favorite day of the year. Groundhog day, 2024 and he does not need a groundhog to get through it. No, all he needs is his new chicken friend and of course, the people who run Musket farm. Good morning to everybody there, Matt in what's happening there right now. Yes. So right now, I mean, not much going on. Henrietta is starting to get acclimated with the day. You know, it's a big day and kind of warm up to it. 10 o'clock this morning though, big event here in Katona Musket farm where sat to Henrietta will do, hopefully she will predict that it is either going to be an early spring or six more weeks of winter. And how will she do that? So we have it figured out that if she lays an egg between our program time, then that means it's going to be an early spring. And if she does not, then unfortunately, six more, I think she was getting a little practice in earlier laid something else, but hopefully an a later on this morning to designate that early spring and talk a little bit about the history of the farm here for those who don't know. Absolutely. So, we are situated on about 777 acres here at the farm and it's really been what we call, uh, a farm, almost like a hobby farm for about, uh, 200 plus years. So, uh, the Hopkins family started around the 18 hundreds. And, um, you know what we call nowadays, a hobby farm is sort of what he did. He was, uh, already wealthy before that. So he didn't have to have this farm. But as we see, sometimes people really like having animals or, um, growing their own food. Um, there's that big farm to table movement. So that's sort of what he was doing before. It was cool and it's a great educational kind of thing. You got going on here, too great experience for kids and families to learn all about these different things. And we'll get more into all of this as we go throughout the morning. And yes, you see Henrietta being very, very quiet this morning. A little camera shy, which as you heard in some of the video that we were playing was not the case last year. Let's talk about our weather though. Coming up as we go throughout the rest of today, everybody and beyond sunnier stretch is on the way, but today, not there just yet on this groundhog day. A spotty shower. This morning, mostly cloudy skies. Of course, the local groundhog were to see their shadow. Well, that would mean that would be a more winter. No shadow means early spring as we take a look at those temperatures out the side right now in the upper thirties and low forties as we go into the afternoon, expect some breaks of sunshine as we go throughout the weekend, full sunshine returns more on that in just a few.

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22WCmatt630e_2024-02-02-07-56-16

For Groundhog Day or is it Groundhog Day? Matt? I mean, it's Groundhog Day, but I ain't holding a groundhog. I'm holding a chicken and Henrietta here has been super quiet. I'm not so sure. This is the same Henrietta as last year, right? It's, it's funny because last year she was so vocal, very quiet right now. And actually, I wanna put up something on the screen for everybody right now. Actually, we'll do that at coming up to the top of the hour. Um, where you challenged me to come down here last year and here I am, I showed up and we're making friends here with Henrietta who will try to predict early spring or not later on. So, explain to everyone what's, what's happening here at 10 o'clock this morning? Sure. Absolutely. So Henrietta is our weather predicting chicken. And so you think, well, I think, I think there's this rivalry is happening. She's trying to get in your head today and, um, she told me it's all about hindrance. Um, and so today we'll test that hind and if she lays an egg during our program, then it is no more winter and early spring and if no egg is there, then it's, everyone can come down at 10 o'clock this morning right now. Everyone free event. Yes, please come down and see us. So everyone come down. We would love to meet everybody too and we can talk more about the rivalry in person at 10 o'clock this morning. But also we want to make sure that we get to your weather as well. We'll talk more with Jonathan Benjamin Farm Director here at Mascot Farm in just a little bit. But here's the for you right now. In terms of the weather for the rest of the day today, we're looking at temperatures here in Kona around 40 degrees into the afternoon and Doppler radar right now has a few areas of some light sprinkles around, nothing steady. There will be a mixed rain or snow shower possible at any point through the morning hours and into the early afternoon. Notice the clearing that that happens this afternoon after three or four o'clock, that's when you'll start to see more breaks in the clouds. And once you do, we are heading in the right direction into a really nice and sunny weekend overall. So mostly cloudy spotty makes rain or snow shower possible during the morning. Nothing that's really amounted to anything. And then temperatures this afternoon, around 40 with some partial clearing, partly cloudy skies overnight tonight, grab the heavy winter coat, the gloves and the hat for the overnight hours with lows in the upper twenties to near 30. And then tomorrow Sunday, Monday, we are back to sunny skies with highs in the low forties still dry for the middle of next week with more clouds, Tuesday, Wednesday. And then we have a major warm up late next week with highs potentially in the fifties towards the start of next weekend.

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22WCmatt730

All right. So we're gonna go from playing in Factor, right, to just playing at this foul, from fact to foul playing in foul. Exactly. We're gonna head out to Musket Farm in Katona for quote unquote. Groundhog day meteorologist Matt Hammer, uh, has feathered up to a new friend, Matt, you know, groundhog chicken. What's really the difference? I mean, they all predict the weather with 100% accuracy. Right. There's Luxon Henrietta a big day now joined by Jonathan Benjamin farm director here, Musco Farm again and question for you is Henrietta kind of a diva with the other farm animals or do they all get along pretty well? I mean, there's definitely been some issues since she's been on the news. Uh, some of the animals think she's getting a little big of an ego. I get it. But I mean, honestly I said this to you earlier, she's now Emmy adjacent. So, I mean, that even is gonna make it even more difficult. So, once or twice nominated though. Yeah. Well, I mean, I think twice, twice. Ok. All right. All right. Good to know. Good to know. We'll check in with Henrietta throughout the morning. See whether or not she predicts an early spring by laying an egg or if we're going to have a prolonged winter big event today here as we take a look at the planner here. And by the way, they have so many events here at the farm and they have a winter fest next weekend. Check out News twelve.com. We'll get a link up there with more on that. How you can get involved. Planner for the rest of today. Lower forties, mostly cloudy skies through the early in a spotty shower will be around before we get into some clearing, which will happen as you see here after about three or four o'clock this afternoon. So here's a look at that mood casts today, you know, not a great start to the day, but by the afternoon, yeah, I think we're throwing on some smiles as we start to see those clouds parting, but it is a bit of a gloomy start to the day. It's just slow progress that we get through the rest of this Friday by this evening and later on tonight, partly cloudy skies, low temperatures will be in the upper twenties to lower thirties. Winds a little bit breezy. So we'll colder overnight tonight. Amazing weekends coming up a little chilly tomorrow, but seasonable in the upper thirties to low forties, lower to middle forties on Sunday, the entire weekend, mostly sunny to partly cloudy skies a bit breezy. Still nice on Monday and a lot of next week still looks dry too with partly sunny skies for Tuesday and Wednesday back in the middle and upper forties. Towards the end of the week, we could be starting next weekend for one day only in the middle fifties. Much more from Musket Farm coming up in just a couple of minutes.

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22WCmatt8_2024-02-02-09-16-57

If you've been following along this morning, you know, we've been having a little too much fun this Groundhog day 2024 and we haven't even included a groundhog in the conversation pretty much. No, we included a chicken though that a musket farm of Kona where all the action is Matt. Good morning, not just any chicken, the chicken of Westchester County. And we are looking at Lux at Tony Henrietta about to make a very, very big and bold prediction even bigger than the Super Bowl. Joining me right now is Jonathan Benjamin Farm director here at Musco Farm in Katona. And we hope to see everybody this morning at the event, but talk to us a little bit about quickly just briefly how this all got started. Sure. So we do this, you know, we have a lot of events throughout the year and this is just one of those special ones where all the stars aligned and we found our own weather predicting chicken. And so hopefully today she lays an egg which will signify early spring and if not, unfortunately, six more weeks, that's what today is all about. It's about the weather predicting not even, just necessarily the groundhog, but Henrietta spoke to you and she's been going ever since now, the sixth year that you've been doing this. Right. Absolutely. Every year so far she's predicted in early spring. But again, with the weather we've been having, she's not been too far off. Right. And talk to us a little bit about the events throughout the year or even specifically, we were talking, you have a winter fest for the first time that you're doing and that's next weekend already. Right. Absolutely. And people can go on our website muar.org to get tickets for that. Um, that event is going to be great. There's going to be hay rides and there's going to be an ice carver and a blacksmith demonstration, some one on ones with animals and just get to enjoy the farm. Um, you know, we thought maybe in the winter, but it, it's not looking that way out there. No, next week it actually looks pretty mild too and it's a great fun but also educational experience that you get here. And we actually have a link to the website for here and how to get tickets on news twelve.com. So you can find the link there right now. Let's talk more about our weather. Yes. On this Groundhog Day that includes a local chicken too. We're looking at a day that is just a gloomy, start a spotty showers around throughout the morning and into the early part of the afternoon. Here's the futurecast as we go through the afternoon, some partial clearing. It will be a slow process today, but we'll get to some clear into the afternoon and evening. And then as we go throughout the afternoon, just expect it to feel a little chilly but not awful for this time of the year. Low forties. And then tonight, we're heading back down into the upper twenties and low thirties. Amazing weekends coming up sunshine tomorrow, a few patchy clouds, breezy and seasonable temperatures on Saturday, Sunday, lower to middle forties. And then next week looks to be a mostly dry week. And as mentioned, a big warm up late in the week starting Thursday with highs in the upper forties, potentially some mid f for the start of next weekend.

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It is important to know that Henrietta has been doing this since 2019 and has been right 100% of the time!

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Weather on the Road: Cluxatawney Henrietta the Chicken predicts early spring!

It is important to know that Henrietta has been doing this since 2019 and has been right 100% of the time!

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