Like groundhog day, Lucy?
I haven't heard of it locally, but I know that such traditions exist in several places.
Well, we've had some decent winter this year and right now it's around 0°C instead of nicely frosty and snowy, so we might as well go for spring soon.
On my roofdeck the leek is starting to grow and the first shrubs have swelling buds that are turning green,
so they believe spring to be just around the corner, too.
Cheers!
Markus