If the expression is “April showers bring May flowers”, what do February showers bring?

Here in Tübingen at least, they don’t bring Spring, and they don’t bring rain: rather, they bring snow. Yesterday brought a storm that looked like a rain shower, except it was with snow. It was over fairly quickly, so I only had time to snap a few quick photos with my cell phone camera. Here’s the view out our front window:

Snow Shower, Tübingen, February 2, 2015

A detail of that photo shows the white streaks of the snow shower coming down, particularly to the left of the building and against the dark brown of the door:

Snow Shower, Tübingen (detail)

I have no idea what got the sensor in the camera confused when I took this next photo. Clearly, something threw it off, so that the colors came out oddly. But I kind of like it:

Impressions of a Snow Shower, February 2, 2015

We actually had snow showers of various sorts on and off throughout the day yesterday, February 2, 2015. While that’s Groundhog Day in the U.S, I’m not sure they officially mark the occasion here in Germany. However, as it turns out — well, at least according to Wikipedia, the origins of the U.S. celebration are actually in Germany:

Last Tuesday, the 2nd, was Candlemas day, the day on which, according to the Germans, the Groundhog peeps out of his winter quarters and if he sees his shadow he pops back for another six weeks nap, but if the day be cloudy he remains out, as the weather is to be moderate.
—4 February 1841—from Morgantown, Berks County (Pennsylvania) storekeeper James Morris’ diary

I’ve never heard anyone here in Germany mention this tradition, but maybe it just doesn’t come up in casual conversation. As a result, I’m not sure if it’s still the case that they look to groundhogs for weather guidance on February 2nd in Germany,  like they do in Punxsutawney, PA and elsewhere in the U.S.

However, it was snowy enough in Tübingen yesterday that I’m guessing any local  groundhog would have had the good sense to stay indoors, and not bother to look for a shadow. Although, there was one moment in between the periods of snow when I think there was a fleeting glimpse of sun. But mostly there would have been no chance of a groundhog spotting his shadow. Which gives a probably accurate prediction of the probability of winter sticking around. Indeed,  based on today’s below-freezing temperatures — the lowest temperatures of the year so far! —  it’s not going to get any warmer here anytime soon.

*****

P.S. Back in Bolzano I wrote a post about traditions and/or traditional sayings in various places that revolve around predicting the remaining length of winter on February 2nd. You can read my musings on this topic at the following link: If a groundhog sees his shadow in a candle in the wind…