Malverne Mel readies for this year’s forecast

Just after dawn on Feb. 2, hundreds of South Shore residents will gather at Chester A. Reese Veterans Memorial Park in Malverne to watch as the village’s renowned groundhog, Malverne Mel, makes his annual meteorological prognostication.

For the 18th consecutive year, the little critter — with the help of caretaker, Baldwin resident Andre Ricaud — will determine for Long Islanders whether winter weather is here to stay for another six weeks, or if springtime is near. 

This year marks the fifth since the village, in conjunction with the Malverne Civic Association and the Malverne Historical and Preservation Society, took over sponsorship of the annual celebration, which had previously been sponsored by the Herald Community Newspapers. 

“I think everybody loves the fact that we have our own weather indicator,” said Malverne Civic secretary Kathi Monroe. “There aren’t too many towns that can boast their own prognosticator — that’s what makes Malverne such a great place to live.” 

Last year, over 150 people braved the bitter cold to join Malverne Mayor Patricia McDonald as she translated Mel’s forecast, many groaning when she announced his prediction of six more wintry weeks.

Next Sunday’s celebration, which kicks off at 7 a.m., will feature a poster contest for children in the village, live musical performances by the Banjo Rascals and a visit from a larger-than-life-sized Mel, played by former Malverne Civic president Peter Robideau. 

Rather than being held at the Malverne Historical House, the event’s longtime venue, this year’s festivities will shift over to Crossroads Farm at Grossmann’s, at the corner of Hempstead and Ocean Avenues, where a continental breakfast will be served to guests at the celebration. The farm, where Mel is expected to reside in months to come, will also host a live woodcarving demonstration, a scavenger hunt and face painting for children. 

“It’s nice to have the community coming together out of the winter doldrums,” McDonald said. “Hopefully, Malverne Mel will predict an early spring.”

Groundhog Day, Feb. 2, is known as a cross-quarter day — the halfway point between the winter solstice in December and the vernal equinox in March. Frigid temperatures have already hit the tri-state area hard this year, and are expected to drop for the rest of the season. While the region endured droves of snow piling in over the last four weeks — the 6 to 10 inches left by a Jan. 2 blizzard and five more inches from a Jan. 21 snowstorm — cold weather seems likely to prevail this winter.

Visit liherald.com to see photos of the event.