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General Beauregard Lee exhibit at Dauset Trails

General Beauregard Lee is a groundhog in the US state of Georgia widely considered to be the Groundhog Day weather prognosticator for the Southern United States. [1]

The previous forecaster before General Beauregard Lee was General Robert E. Lee, who started making predictions in 1981. [2] He was named after the American Confederate General of the same name. General Beauregard Lee's first nationally televised appearance was in 1988. [3] General Beauregard Lee resided at Yellow River Game Ranch in Gwinnett County, Georgia for 27 years until the ranch suddenly closed in December 2017. [4] He was then relocated to Dauset Trails Nature Center in Jackson, Georgia, to carry on his weather-predicting tradition. [5]

In 2011, PolitiFact decreed General Lee to be more accurate than Punxsutawney Phil, boasting a 60% national accuracy for an early spring between the years of 2001 to 2010, compared to Phil's 30%. [6] The groundhog-sized ante-bellum style mansion that General Lee lives in is known as Weathering Heights. [7]

Past predictions

General Lee's predictions
1981 1982 [8] 1983 [9] 1984 [10] 1985 [11] 1986 [12] 1987 [13] 1988 [14] 1989 [15]
1990 [16] 1991 [17] 1992 [18] 1993 [19] 1994 [20] 1995 [21] 1996 [22] 1997 [23] 1998 [24] 1999 [25]
2000 [26] 2001 [27] 2002 [28] 2003 [29] 2004 [30] 2005 [31] 2006 [32] 2007 [33] 2008 [34] 2009 [35]
2010 [36] 2011 [37] 2012 [38] 2013 [39] 2014 [40] 2015 [41] 2016 [42] 2017 [43] 2018 [44] 2019 [45]
2020 [46] 2021 [47] 2022 [48] 2023 [49] 2024 [50]
  "Long winter" (3)
  "Early spring" (40)
  No record (1)

List of individual General Lee namesakes

  • General Robert E. Lee [51] (1981-1991): This General Lee was considered to have had predicted the weather correctly nine out of ten times from 1981 to 1990. General Robert E. Lee retired in 1991 after he became too old and too fat. In February 1991, a commemorative marker was put on display at Yellow River Game Ranch in celebration of his retirement. [52]
  • General Beauregard Lee (1991-): He was born in 1990 and was a distant relation of the previous General Lee. His namesake is an homage to Generals P. G. T. Beauregard and Robert E. Lee. [53] In 1991, he and General Robert E. Lee shared the role of groundhog prognosticator at Yellow River Game Ranch, and the next year Beauregard Lee had his first solo role. [54] He was considered to have gotten the prediction for 1993 wrong due the blizzard that hit the South that year. [55]

References

  1. ^ King, Michael (2 February 2020). "Groundhogs give conflicting forecasts for coming spring". 11Alive. WXIA-TV. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
  2. ^ Morris, Mike (2 February 2000). "Hog's call: Spring's just around the corner". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Atlanta, Georgia.
  3. ^ Hanes, Elizabeth (30 January 2019). "Beyond Punxsutawney: Meet the Other Groundhogs". HISTORY. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
  4. ^ Coyne, Amanda C. (26 December 2017). "Gwinnett's weather-predicting groundhog will be relocated...but where?". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
  5. ^ "GA groundhog Gen. Beauregard Lee moves to new home". FOX 5 Atlanta. 10 January 2018. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
  6. ^ Mariano, Willoughby (4 February 2011). "Metro Atlanta groundhog boasts more accuracy than Punxsutawney Phil". PolitiFact. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
  7. ^ Lameiras, Maria M. (2 February 1998). "Spring's just around the bend: General does not see shadow". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Atlanta, Georgia.
  8. ^ "Groundhogs Can't Agree On Predictons". The Atlanta Constitution. Atlanta, Georgia. 3 February 1982.
  9. ^ Emerson, Bo (3 February 1983). "Famous Yankee groundhog and Gen. Lee agree on spring". The Atlanta Constitution. Atlanta, Georgia.
  10. ^ "Georgia's own groundhog predicts an early spring". The Atlanta Constitution. Atlanta, Georgia. 3 February 1984.
  11. ^ Newby, Debbie (3 February 1985). "In South, Yankee groundhog overshadowed by Gen. Lee". The Atlanta Constitution. Atlanta, Georgia.
  12. ^ Baum, Dan (3 February 1986). "It's warm weather, but winter's not over yet". The Atlanta Constitution. Atlanta, Georgia.
  13. ^ Salter, Charles (3 February 1987). "Epidemic of spring fever likely Tuesday". The Atlanta Constitution. Atlanta, Georgia.
  14. ^ Robinson, Scott (3 February 1988). "Lee predicts early spring". The Atlanta Constitution. Atlanta, Georgia.
  15. ^ Taylor, Ron (3 February 1989). "Georgia's General Lee Predicts an Early Spring". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Atlanta, Georgia.
  16. ^ Morris, Mike (3 February 1990). "Groundhogs have meeting of minds--spring is close". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Atlanta, Georgia.
  17. ^ "Groundhogs don't agree". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Atlanta, Georgia. 3 February 1991.
  18. ^ Osinki, Bill (3 February 1992). "'Hog chucks idea of more winter weather". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Atlanta, Georgia.
  19. ^ Downs, Billy. "Phil and Lee Disgree". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Atlanta, Georgia.
  20. ^ Downs, Billy (3 February 1994). "Shawdow Dancing". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Atlanta, Georgia.
  21. ^ Warren, Christopher C. (2 February 1995). "General Lee likes what he sees: Spring is near, predicts Georgia groundhog". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Atlanta, Georgia.
  22. ^ Warren, Christopher C. (2 February 1996). "Georgia groundhog's lore-cast: Gen. Lee sees an early spring". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Atlanta, Georgia.
  23. ^ Elredge, Richard L. (3 February 1997). "PEACH BUZZ: Groundhogs see early spring". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Atlanta, Georgia.
  24. ^ Lameiras, Maria M. (2 February 1998). "Spring's just around the bend: General does not see shadow". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Atlanta, Georgia.
  25. ^ Lameiras, Maria M. (2 February 1999). "Spring fever: Groundhog says warm weather near". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Atlanta, Georgia.
  26. ^ Morris, Mike (2 February 2000). "Hog's call: Spring's just around the corner". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Atlanta, Georgia.
  27. ^ Morris, Mike (2 February 2001). "Hog heaven! Gen. Lee sees early spring". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Atlanta, Georgia.
  28. ^ Quinn, Christopher (3 February 2002). "'Early spring' cast But doubt overshadows groundhog's prediction". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Atlanta, Georgia.
  29. ^ Badie, Rick (3 February 2003). "Groundhog looks in vain for shadow 300 see animal forecast early spring". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Atlanta, Georgia.
  30. ^ Osinki, Bill (3 February 2004). "Punxsutawney who? Our own Gen. Lee foresees spring". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Atlanta, Georgia.
  31. ^ Davis, Mark (3 February 2005). "Beau says early spring For first time, female friend joins groundhog". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Atlanta, Georgia.
  32. ^ White, Robert (3 February 2006). "Groundhog's call: Spring is on way 150 watch as Beau's shadow pulls no-show". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Atlanta, Georgia.
  33. ^ Osinki, Bill (3 February 2007). "Not a shadow of doubt". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Atlanta, Georgia.
  34. ^ "A fuzzy forecast for early spring". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Atlanta, Georgia. 3 February 2008.
  35. ^ "Community News: Gen. Lee takes a brighter view". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Atlanta, Georgia. 3 February 2009.
  36. ^ Ewing, Michelle (7 February 2010). "It was a good week for". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Atlanta, Georgia.
  37. ^ Harstein, Larry (3 February 2011). "An early spring, General Lee predicts". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Atlanta, Georgia.
  38. ^ Morris, Mike (3 February 2012). "Gen. Lee sees no shadow, predicts early spring". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Atlanta, Georgia.
  39. ^ Morris, Mike (3 February 2013). "If you believe groundhog, bundle up: General Beauregard Lee sees shadow and that means a long winter". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Atlanta, Georgia.
  40. ^ Grantham, Russell (3 February 2014). "GROUNDHOG DAY: Rival groundhogs differ on shadowy forecasts: General Lee sees spring coming early; Phil up north, not so". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Atlanta, Georgia.
  41. ^ Morris, Mike (3 February 2015). "Groundhog predicts early spring for Ga.: Pa. counterpart calls for six more weeks of winter". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Atlanta, Georgia.
  42. ^ Foremen, Lauren (3 February 2016). "Ga. groundhog predicts early spring; Pa. counterpart agrees: Celebrity rodents can't seem to find their shadows". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Atlanta, Georgia.
  43. ^ Foremen, Lauren (3 February 2017). "Georgia groundhog predicts early spring -- and a Falcons win". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Atlanta, Georgia.
  44. ^ Coyne, Amanda C. (2 February 2018). "Groundhog Gen. Beauregard Lee sees shadow, predicts winter weather". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Atlanta, Georgia. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  45. ^ "General Lee predicts 6 more weeks of winter for Georgia". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Atlanta, Georgia. 2 February 2019. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  46. ^ King, Michael (2 February 2021). "Groundhogs give conflicting forecasts for coming spring". 11Alive. WXIA-TV. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
  47. ^ Elder, Lane (2 February 2021). "Groundhog Day is steeped in tradition but isn't the most accurate, according to weather almanacs". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Atlanta, Georgia. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  48. ^ "Georgia's groundhog predicts early spring at Dauset Trails Nature Center". WMAZ. Macon, Georgia. 2 February 2022. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  49. ^ "Georgia groundhog General Beauregard Lee makes his weather prediction". WJCL. Savannah, Georgia. 2 February 2023. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  50. ^ "Georgia Groundhog Day : Did General Beauregard Lee see his shadow? Punxsutawney Phil not the only weather predicting groundhog". WJCL. Savannah, Georgia. 2 February 2023. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
  51. ^ Morris, Mike (2 February 2000). "Hog's call: Spring's just around the corner". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Atlanta, Georgia.
  52. ^ Wagner, Norma (2 February 1991). "Shadowy seer to succeed General Lee". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Atlanta, Georgia.
  53. ^ Lameiras, Maria M. (1 February 1998). "Everything's set for furry forecaster to take his stroll". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Atlanta, Georgia.
  54. ^ Osinki, Bill (3 February 1992). "'Hog chucks idea of more winter weather". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Atlanta, Georgia.
  55. ^ Kent, Peter J. (1 February 1999). "To see or not to see, that is the question South awaits shadow dancer's climatic tell-all". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Atlanta, Georgia.

External links

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