Groundhog Day is fun, but any meteorologist will tell you you're wise to avoid putting any real stock in a prognostication made by a groundhog on the rest of winter.

(MORE: Winter Storm Central)

We get it, though. When February arrives, some may be increasingly stir-crazy for spring. Some of you may have dealt with snow since October. On the other hand, others may want to hit the slopes as long into the spring as possible.

Weather in your inbox

Forecast Location

Sign Up

By signing up you agree to the Terms & Privacy Policy. Unsubscribe at any time.

Using National Weather Service 30-year average data, we lay out how much of the season's snow and cold is typically left after Groundhog Day, for 25 cities across the U.S.

Quite a Bit of Snow Left

In each of the 25 cities we examined from Alaska and the West, to the Midwest and Northeast, anywhere from 25 to 50 percent of the season's average snow falls after Groundhog Day.

Interestingly enough, the cities with the highest percentage of season snowfall after Groundhog Day are New York City and Philadelphia, both typically picking up half of their season's snow after Feb. 2.

This is in large part due to the propensity for major Northeast snowstormsin February and March. 

(MORE: Peak Time For Major Northeast Snowstorms)

Eighteen of the cities we examined typically pick up another foot of snow after Groundhog Day. Anchorage, Billings, Buffalo and Cleveland pick up another 2 feet of snow or more of snow. 

Incredibly, in both Marquette, Michigan, and Tahoe City, in California's Sierra Nevada, another 7 feet of snow is typical after Feb. 2. 

Most northern cities have to go into April in an average year before feeling safe to store the shovel or snowthrower for the season. On the other hand for much of the Northeast urban corridor and parts of the Lower Midwest, snow is typically done by the end of March.

Average Post-Groundhog Day Share of Season Snow, Last Date of Measurable Snow
(Data: NOAA/NWS)

 Average Percent of Snow After Feb. 2Average Date of Last Measurable Season Snow

New York City

50

March 16

Philadelphia

50

March 16

Billings, Montana

48

April 29

Tahoe City, California

48

May 7

Boston

45

March 27

Omaha

45

March 28

Cleveland

44

April 7

Detroit

44

April 4

Flagstaff, Arizona

44

April 22

Pittsburgh

44

April 6

Des Moines, Iowa

43

April 2

Chicago

42

March 31

Washington D.C.

42

February 24

Denver

41

April 27

Marquette, Michigan

41

April 28

Kansas City

38

March 17

St. Louis

37

March 17

Salt Lake City

37

April 17

Fargo, North Dakota

36

April 8

Minneapolis/St. Paul

35

April 9

Seattle

34

February 17

Anchorage, Alaska

33

April 19

Indianapolis

33

March 19

Buffalo

32

April 10

Spokane, Washington

26

April 8

When the Cold Finally Exits

Even if the snow finally shuts off for the season in spring, cold snaps can still be frustrating.

Only three of the cities we examined typically see their last freeze of the season in March.

Otherwise, most cities outside the mountain West or not near the U.S.-Canadian border have to go into April to see their last freeze.

(MAPS: U.S. Monthly Average Highs/Lows)

This translates to at least 30 days after Groundhog Day of morning lows at least dipping to the freezing mark in Philadelphia and St. Louis, at least 40 such freezing mornings in Omaha and Pittsburgh, 50 such days in Chicago and Spokane, and over 60 freezing mornings after Feb. 2 in Denver, Fargo, and Flagstaff.

Average Post-Groundhog Day Morning Freezes, Last Date of Spring Freeze
(Data: NOAA/NWS)

 Average Number of Freezes After Feb. 2Average Date of Last Spring Freeze

Tahoe City, California

94

June 14

Flagstaff, Arizona

92

June 6

Marquette, Michigan

85

May 26

 Anchorage, Alaska

78

May 7

Fargo, North Dakota

72

May 8

Denver

69

May 6

Minneapolis/St. Paul

59

April 25

Buffalo

55

April 22

Billings, Montana

55

May 6

Spokane, Washington

53

May 4

Detroit

52

April 22

Chicago

52

April 23

Cleveland

50

April 25

Salt Lake City

49

April 17

Omaha

49

April 20

Des Moines, Iowa

48

April 18

Pittsburgh

48

April 27

Indianapolis

40

April 16

Kansas City

39

April 11

Boston

38

April 5

Philadelphia

33

April 2

St. Louis

30

April 3

New York City

28

March 29

Washington D.C.

24

March 27

Seattle

8

March 10

In some parts of the far northern U.S. or mountain West, a freeze is possible much of the spring. 

As we've seen, even a pessimistic "six more weeks of winter" forecast from your local groundhog doesn't typically capture the propensity for winter weather to lag into spring.

Jonathan Erdman is a senior meteorologist at weather.com and has been an incurable weather geek since a tornado narrowly missed his childhood home in Wisconsin at age 7. Follow him on Facebook and Twitter.