01x13 - Groundhog Birthday

[bunniefuu]

♪Our family loves to look for weather♪

♪There's so much we want to know♪

♪Weather Hunters All: That's us, Weather Hunters!

Lily: Let's go!

♪We love discovering together♪

Lily: What is rain?

Lily: Why does it snow?

♪Weather Hunters

♪Around the world, around the corner♪

♪our adventure's just begun♪

♪Could be cloudy, could be sunny♪

Al: Hey, kids! The forecast calls for fun!

♪Whatever the weather, we're in it together♪

All: Weather Hunters!

Lilly: Groundhog Birthday

Benny: Yay! February nd, Groundhog Day.

Benny: And you know what that means.

Dot: Hmm...I wonder what it means.

Benny: It means if the groundhog sees his shadow,

there's going to be at least six more weeks of fun,

winter weather.

Al: [laughing]

We sure are lucky to have a groundhog living under our yard.

Or we'd never know how to predict when spring will arrive.

Dot: That groundhog is your only real competition

as a meteorologist Al.

Corky: [laughs] Dad isn't the only reason why people think

that means more winter

is because the groundhog gets scared by its own shadow

and ducks back into its burrow to hide?

Al: That's right, Corky.

Benny: But that's not all Groundhog Day means.

Dot: Wait. There's more?

Benny: Uh-huh...It also means my birthday's coming up soon.

On March th,

I counted on the calendar how long that is from now. See?

One. Two.

Three. Four.

Five. Six.

Six weeks.

Al: Good counting, Benny.

Dot: Benny, wait!

Where are you going?

Benny: I've got to see if the groundhog sees his shadow.

All: [giggles]

Al: Come on, everybody.

Benny: Where is he?

Lilly: You know, it could be a long wait.

Just cause today's Groundhog Day doesn't

mean we'll definitely see a groundhog.

Corky: Whoa!

Corky: Is that actually him now?

Al: Yep. That's him or her?

Benny: Please. Please. Please!

See your shadow. See your shadow!

Benny: Well, Dad? Is it seeing its shadow?

Al: Well, the sun is out today.

So, the groundhog is blocking the sunlight

just like we are.

See?

Al: Yep, our groundhog saw its shadow.

Benny: That means at least six more weeks of winter weather.

And I could have my birthday party in the snow!

And we could ride sleds and make snow angels

and lots of other cool, fun, wintery stuff.

Woo-hoo!

All: [laughs]

Dot: I just hope he's not too disappointed if there's

no snow on his birthday, Al.

Al: This time of year

it could go either way, Dot.

Lilly: Yeah, in March, where we live, it could be springtime

with sunshine and rain,

but it could also be more like winter with cold and snow.

Al: Exactly. It's hard to say.

Lilly: I just wonder about the whole idea of Groundhog Day.

I mean, groundhogs don't have weather kits.

So how would a groundhog know if spring weather was coming?

Al: [laughs] It wouldn't.

Groundhog day is a fun tradition,

but now, we use scientific tools to help us predict weather.

Lilly: How did people predict the weather a long time ago?

Al: Well, they didn't have the tools we have today to help them

understand the observations they were making.

So they came up with stories to explain

what they were noticing about the weather.

The stories weren't always scientific,

but they sure could be fun.

Al: Come on, I'll show you.

Lilly: Yeah!

♪music♪

Al: Many years ago to predict when spring was coming

folks would wait to see when animals like bears or groundhogs

would wake up from their winter sleep, called hibernation.

Groundhog day is probably the best known story

that was told about the changing of the seasons

before we had modern weather tools to help us

understand the science that impacts weather changes.

Now, of course, we use our tools to measure weather conditions,

and we're much more accurate... for the most part.

Lilly: Thanks Dad!

I want to use the tools in my weather kit to investigate

if spring really is on its way.

Al: Lily, I can't think of a better way

to answer that question.

I'll make observations each week for the next six weeks.

Sounds good.

Oh, just remember, keep your eyes, ears,

and your nose open when you're searching for signs of spring.

Lilly: Right, Dad!

Scientists use all of their senses.

I'm going to use mine to observe the weather.

♪music♪

If I'm going to research this accurately, I'll need the right

tools, like my themometor to measure the air temperature.

Benny: Woohoo!

Winter birthday party!

[giggles]

And my tracker tablet so I can photograph and chart

my findings.

Benny: Yay!

And we're gonna have lots and lots and lots of snow!

[giggles]

And my Flexspecs! All set!

Benny: Where are you going, Lilly?

Lilly: Hey, Speedy and Speedy Junior.

[barks]

First thing tomorrow morning, I'm going to start investigating

the weather,

to make sure you have the best birthday you've ever had.

Benny: Cool.

Please make sure there's lots of snow for my party.

I don't think it works that way, little bro,

but I'll do my best.

♪music

Lilly: Oh, the sun's coming up.

Okay, everyone, lights, camera...

Lilly: Corky!

You got to take a look at the sunrise.

Corky: Oh, sunrise?

I'll bring my camera.

Lilly: Today is day one of my spring weather investigation.

I noticed the sun seems to come up earlier.

I'm going to record what time it comes up every week.

Corky: Hey, that's a beautiful sunrise.

I want to film it.

Corky: Maybe you can use it for your investigation.

Sunrise on day one, exactly

: a.m.

Lilly: Thanks, Sis!

Corky: You're welcome.

Al: Good morning sunshine!

I got your favorite sunny side up eggs and toast.

Lilly: Thanks, Dad.

Dot: Whoa!

What's the hurry?

Starting a fun new weather investigation today.

Lots to do before school.

Be back to eat the rest later.

Thanks, Dad.

Is wintery weather on the way out? And spring

weather on the way in?

No sounds of springtime yet.

[sniffs]

Hmm...Smells like, well, nothing really.

I wonder what the temperature is.

Oh, °F.

Still some snow on the ground.

[camera click]

No leaves on the trees yet.

[camera click]

And nothing on the bushes.

[camera click]

Still looks and feels like winter.

If it lasts a long time, then spring will come in slower.

Plants and flowers will bloom later.

Trees will get leaves later too.

Ms. Joyce: Lilly!

Ms. Joyce: Good morning.

It's a chilly one today, isn't it?

Lilly: Oh, good morning, Miss Joyce.

Sure is.

Can I help with that?

No, thank you, dear.

Just doing my recycling today and every day.

Hey, Ms. Joyce,

would you like to be a part of my investigation?

How so dear?

Lilly: I'm making observations each week,

searching for signs of spring.

May I take your picture to add to my findings?

Ms. Joyce: Oh, of course.

Cheese!

[camera click]

Lilly: [giggles] Thank you.

Ms. Joyce: Stay warm out here. Bye now.

♪music♪

Hmm...

Sunset at exactly : p.m.

Al: So how's

the springtime weather investigation going so far?

Lilly: It's still day one.

It's too soon to say, Dad.

That's okay.

Keep at it.

Your study will bring results.

You know the old saying,

if you see it through, you'll find many a clue.

Really? Who said that?

Al: Me. Just now.

Lilly: [giggles]

♪music♪

Corky: [yawn]

And I'd also like to thank the Academy

for this incredible...

Lilly: Wake up Corky!

Corky: Huh?

Lilly: Time to film another sunrise.

Oh!

Corky: [yawn] Can we do this later?

I'm just accepting my Oscar.

Lilly: But we'll miss the sunrise.

Corky: Hang on.

Lilly: We've been measuring for two whole weeks.

It's time to add another sunrise to our charts.

Lilly: : a.m.

That's five minutes earlier than last time.

Lilly: Thanks, Corky.

Oh, and congrats on your big award.

All: [laughs]

Dot: Morning, Lilly.

How about some breakfast today?

You do have to eat.

Lilly: Sorry, Mom.

Still investigating for spring weather.

Besides, I love toast.

See? [hungrily biting]

Yum. I'll eat more later.

Lilly: I really need to get this done before school.

Benny: Lilly's making sure I have

snow for my birthday party, Mom.

Corky: Benny thinks she's the snow queen.

All: [laughs]

♪music♪

All I can hear is the wind.

Hmm...

What's that smell?

Wet wood?

Lilly: Oh, °F.

[camera click]

Lilly: Still snow on the ground.

Lilly: Still no leaves on the trees.

[camera click]

Nothing on the bushes.

[camera click]

Lilly: And nothing

growing in the garden yet, either.

Ms. Joyce: Morning, Lilly!

Another chilly one.

Hi, Miss Joyce.

More recycling, huh?

Every day, protecting the planet!

Ms. Joyce: Cheese.

[camera click]

Ms. Joyce and Lilly: [laughing]

Lilly: Bye, Ms. Joyce!

Ms. Joyce: Bye now.

♪music♪

Lilly: Week number three.

And we're now up to °F.

Ooh!

Lilly: Purple Crocuses are starting to sprout.

An early sign of spring.

Benny: Look what I'm making, Lilly.

They're invitations for my party. See?

They're snowflakes.

Lilly: They're real pretty, Benny.

Benny: And look...

these are really big snowballs

we're gonna make for our snowball throwing contest!

Lilly: Those are huge snowballs.

And what's this?

Lilly: An igloo?

Benny: [laughs]

Benny: No, silly.

That's the snow fort

we're going to build to protect us from the snow monster.

Corky and Lilly: [laughs]

Corky: Now all you need is snow.

Al: Say, Lilly.

Any news to report on that weather investigation?

Lilly: Well, we're in week three, and so far,

we found the sun rising earlier every day.

And its setting later, too.

Here...

Lilly: Look at my chart.

And check out this graph.

The temperature is rising.

Lilly: See? It's finally crept above freezing.

Al: That increase in temperature over time is called a trend.

Lilly: Oh, and I've also seen some Crocus flowers

starting to sprout. Look!

I still can't tell if it'll feel like winter

or spring by Benny's birthday.

Maybe the groundhog was right?

Benny: Yes!

Cumulus: [barking]

Cumulus: [barking]

Cumulus: [sniffing]

Cumulus: [barking]

Benny: I think Cumie wants to play with our groundhog.

Maybe they can be friends.

Corky: That's probably not the best idea, Benny.

Groundhogs are wild animals.

Benny: Oh...

Cumie's not wild, is he?

Al: [laughs] No, but he sure is one playful pup.

Cumulus: [barking]

All: [laughing]

♪music♪

Lilly: Week four.

Lilly: Sunrise at a.m.

Al: Ta-Da!

Thanks, Dad.

Lilly: Love you.

Al: Bye. Love you too, sweetie.

[birds chriping]

[birds chirping]

Lilly: Whoa!

I hear lots more birds chirping now.

[sniffing]

Hmm...

[sniffing]

But nothing smells different yet.

What's the temperature?

Lilly: °F.

It's definitely warming up out here.

No wonder this coat feels too hot.

My graph line is mostly going up.

My temperatures go from mid-twenties to high s.

♪music♪

Lilly: And sunset is now at : p.m.

The sun is up for much longer now.

♪music♪

[birds singing]

Lilly: [yawn]

[birds singing]

Lilly: The birds!

Now they're singing.

Lilly: We haven't heard birds singing in months.

Just chirping.

But I know that birds definitely start singing a lot

in the springtime.

Lilly: Oh, you're already up?

Corky: Yep! [laughs]

You've got me into this now.

Let's get that camera rolling, Sis!

Lilly: Week five.

Lilly: Sunrise at : a.m.

Lilly: And birds are singing again.

Dot: Morning, sunshine!

Lilly: Hi, Mom.

Dot: Oh, look at you.

Up bright and early again.

Still hard at work, huh?

Lilly: Of course! Weather never sleeps.

Benny: [effort]

Lilly: Hey, little brother.

What are you up to?

Benny: Getting ready for my wintery birthday party.

Just one more week.

I counted the days on the calendar.

Dot: Benny's a man on a mission.

He's still certain it's going to snow.

Lilly: I'm not so sure about that.

I've been seeing more signs of spring lately.

Maybe we should think about a warmer weather party?

Benny: But it could still snow, right?

Lilly: I guess?

Benny: Yeah!

But!

Lilly: We're up to °F.

Oh. Some bugs are starting

to sprout on this maple sapling.

[camera clicking]

Daffodils.

They're usually a sign of spring weather, too.

They smell sweet, like perfume.

[camera clicks]

Ms. Joyce: Hi, Lilly!

Ms. Joyce: The weather's finally warming up again.

Ms. Joyce: Isn't it lovely?

Lilly: Yes. Hey?

Nothing to recycle today?

Ms. Joyce: Oh, I brought that out already.

Now, I'm ready to just cycle.

Gotta get my daily exercise.

[camera clicks]

Ms. Joyce: Bye, dear!

Lilly: [giggles] Bye Ms. Joyce.

Enjoy your ride.

Singing birds. Daffodils.

Tree buds.

So many changes today.

♪music♪

My charts,

graphs and pictures all point to the same results.

It's time to present my findings to everyone.

Lilly: And there's lots more daylight now.

Corky's been filming all the sunrises with me.

Corky?

Corky: Ready.

Lilly: When my investigation began,the sun rose at :.

As time went by, it came up earlier and earlier.

Lilly: And this morning, the sun rose at : a.m.

Lilly: That's almost minutes earlier than when I started.

And the sun set a little later each day, too.

Also, temperatures are up to °F.

I started recording them at degrees.

Al: Great observation, Lilly.

I found Bud's

starting to appear on the trees and flowers are blooming again.

It smells sweeter now.

Birds are singing instead of just chirping.

All these signs make me believe it's not very likely

there's going to be any snow on March th.

Al: That's excellent work, Lilly.

Your research matches my weather forecast for next week.

Lilly: It does?

Corky: Gosh, I feel bad for Benny.

Dot: Me, too.

I do think we need to consider a different kind

of birthday celebration for him.

Al: I agree, Dot.

Let's make a backup plan, just in case.

Benny: What's a backup plan?

Just in case what?

Al: Making a backup plan means having some other ideas

ready to try.

In case the first plan we want to do

doesn't work out the way we wanted it to.

Just in case there's no snow on the day of your birthday party.

Benny: But the groundhog saw his shadow.

That means at least six more weeks of winter weather.

And it hasn't been six weeks yet.

Al: [laughs] Well, you're right, Benny.

But forecasting weather is tricky business.

Even with all my weather instruments.

I don't always get it right.

[laughs] I just hope more often than a groundhog.

Benny: No, I believe him.

There will be snow.

You'll see.

Dot: Poor little guy.

But better to plan now than be sorry later on.

Al: Agreed.

So let's put our heads together on this one.

Corky: So what kind of fun can Benny and his friends

have at an early spring weather party without snow?

Lilly: I think I have some ideas.

♪music♪

Benny: Yay! It's finally my birthday!

I had to wait one whole year for this Cumie!

[barking]

That's right. My friends will be here soon, and we've got

all of these wintery decorations ready to hang.

Let's go.

[birds singing]

Benny: Huh?

[birds singing]

But, there's no snow.

Al: Oh, we're so sorry, Benny.

Benny: I don't understand Dad.

Al: We know how much you wanted it to snow on your birthday.

Lilly even spent weeks researching for today.

But all we can do is study and forecast the weather.

No one can make it be the way they want it.

Benny: Then, I guess the groundhog didn't really know

after all, did he?

Al: No, buddy.

Unfortunately, groundhogs don't really have that ability.

Lilly: But guess what?

We prepared for this.

Just in case there might not be any snow today.

And we've got a backup plan.

You do?

♪music♪

Benny: [laughs]

All Children: [laugh]

All Children: Yah! Woo-hoo!

All Children: Yeah!

Lilly: It's Benny's early springtime birthday party. See?

You don't need snow to have fun today.

Benny: You were right, Lilly. [laughs]

All Children: [giggles]

Al: Look, your Dad made you an ice cream cake.

Even if there's no snow outside, this is still

the coolest birthday ever!

All: Happy birthday, Benny! [laughs]

[birds singing]