Bee Cave Bob makes his spring prediction, agrees with Punxsutawney Phil on early spring

AUSTIN (Talk1370.com) -- While a certain rodent in Pennsylvania got most of the pomp and circumstance Friday as the nation observed Groundhog Day, Central Texas had its own animal forecasting expert ready to weigh in on the prospect of an early spring.

Bee Cave Bob - a nine-banded armadillo - has been making his annual predictions at the West Pole in Bee Cave for more than a decade, with "Armadillo Day" being the Hill Country answer to the Groundhog Day celebrations in Gobbler's Knob.

The armadillo's forecasting technique is similar to that of Punxsutawney Phil; if Bob sees his shadow, that means a long winter, while no shadow means warmer and sunnier weather is on its way.

Friday, Bob made it three years in a row that he's predicted an early spring.