The superstitious believed that hibernatinganimals would emerge from their long winter slumber to check on the weather on Candlemas, which is halfway between the winter solstice in December and the vernal equinox in March.
The tradition goes back to medieval times when there was a superstition that all hibernatinganimals emerged from their caves and dens to check the weather on Candlemas, which is halfway between the winter solstice in December and the vernal equinox in March.