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Hochul will replace de Blasio for Groundhog Day dutiesPOLITICOSearchSearchClose

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Sources: Hochul will replace de Blasio for Groundhog Day dutiesPOLITICOSearchSearchClose

With Mayor Bill de Blasio off to stump for Hillary Clinton in Iowa, Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul is set to replace him for the annual Groundhog Day ceremony at the Staten Island Zoo, sources told POLITICO New York.

The annual morning event is a New York version of the famous shadow check done by Punxsutawney Phil, the famous Pennsylvania varmint. At 7:30 a.m., the zoo's famous groundhog Staten Island Chuck will emerge to see if he (or she) sees his shadow, superstitiously predicting either an early spring or six more weeks of winter drudgery.

The mayor, by tradition, presides, but what should be a harmless photo-op actually became a to-do for de Blasio. In 2014 — his first year in office — the mayor dropped the groundhog, causing internal injuries that led to her death. In 2015 the ceremony was amended so the mayor would not actually touch the animal.

Snow Depth – Saturday January 15

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In Lake-Effect County, the definitely have some snow. 🌨

Locally not so much snow, but maybe we will get some more on Monday, although the latest models are suggesting it will be more rain and ice in the greater Albany-area. Maybe a few inches of snow here and there, but it looking less and less like a major snow event, but they keep warning us that the storm track will change again one way or another. But on Tug and Western Adirondacks, they have some decent snow falls around.

There locations have the deepest snow in New York State, per National Weather Service.

1) Lewis County, West Turin town, Highmarket (HGHN6)
14 inches ☃☃☃☃☃☃☃☃☃☃☃☃☃☃☃ 6am

2) Oneida County, Lee town, Point Rock 0.6 SE (NY-OD-2)
10.5 inches ☃☃☃☃☃☃☃☃☃☃☃ 8am

3) Essex County, North Elba town, Lake Placid 2 S (LPLN6)
9 inches ☃☃☃☃☃☃☃☃☃☃ 8am

4) Essex County, Newcomb town, Newcomb (NCBN6)
7 inches ☃☃☃☃☃☃☃☃ 9am

5) Madison County, Nelson town, Cazenovia 2.9 SE (NY-MD-10)
5 inches ☃☃☃☃☃☃ 7am

6) Franklin County, Malone town, Malone (MALN6)
5 inches ☃☃☃☃☃☃ 7am

7) Hamilton County, Indian Lake town, Indian Lake (INDN6)
5 inches ☃☃☃☃☃☃ 8am

8) St. Lawrence County, Gouverneur town, Gouverneur 3 NW (GOVN6)
5 inches ☃☃☃☃☃☃ 7am

9) Lewis County, Watson town, Chase Lake (GFDN6)
5 inches ☃☃☃☃☃☃ 6am

10) Essex County, Schroon town, Olmstedville 4.6 NNE (NY-ES-6)
4.5 inches ❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️ 8am