VIDEO: Malverne Mel Spotted in Westwood, Patch Chats With the Groundhog

Malverne's famous furry groundhog isn't scheduled to come out of hibernation until Feb. 2, when he will give his weather prediction to village residents gathered at the gazebo in However, Patch spotted Mel's 6-foot stunt double scurrying about the snow in Westwood Friday afternoon, carrying a sign proclaiming his own self-adoration.

We caught up with Mel on the playground at , where the cheeky rodent took a break from swinging, climbing trees and burrowing through tunnels to tell us about the exciting ceremony the Malverne Civic Association has planned for this year's We're told there will be live music, hot chocolate and plenty of fun regardless of whether Mel's forecast calls for six more weeks of winter or not.

Oh, and he has a request for the local kids who have been asked to draw portraits of him. Watch the video interview to hear what he had to say.

A big thanks to Civic President Peter Robideau for reporting the Mel sighting to Patch!

The Civic will be selling custom-made Groundhog Day winter hats and long-sleeved T-shirts (See photos to view both.) The hats, which are one-size fits all, are $15, and the T-shirts, which come in both kids and adult sizes, are $12. They are currently being sold at the following stores in the village:

They will also be available at the Ground Hog Day ceremony, which starts at 7am on Feb. 2.

Do you hope Mel sees his shadow? Tell us in the comments!