Wiarton Willie is dead.

The albino groundhog whose annual weather prognostication is a national event and draws large crowds every Groundhog Day was 13 years old.

Wiarton Willie lived in an enclosure in Wiarton that was created by the Toronto Zoo to mimic a groundhog's natural habitat. (Kate Bueckert/CBC) The Town of South Bruce Peninsula announced Wednesday that Willie lived three times longer than the average groundhog, which can normally expect to reach the age of four.

According to folklore, when a groundhog sees its shadow on Feb. 2, winter will last another six weeks. If the groundhog emerges from its burrow on a cloudy day, spring will come early.

A memorial service is planned for Saturday, Sept. 30, at 11 a.m. in Wiarton's Bluewater Park "in gratitude for his many years of service," a news release said.

A funeral procession will then travel through the park to a statue of Willie's likeness, where the albino groundhog will be honoured, according to the town.