Punxsutawney Phil’s yearly debut, as reimagined at a spot along the Middletown side of the Navesink River at McClee’s Creek.

It’s a pretty good bet that Punxsutawney Phil won’t see his shadow Wednesday morning.

According to Groundhog Day lore, the failure of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania’s most famous resident to see his own shadow on February 2 presages an early spring.

A shadow-spotting seemed unlikely as of 5a. It was rainy and misty out there in west central Pee Ay, with an outlook for rain, snow showers and freezing rain, according to the National Weather Service.

An early spring would certainly be welcome in the snow-and-ice-bound Red Bank region, where today’s forecast is also dim and damp, if not as cold.

Temperatures are expected to rise above freezing by 9a, but as we write this, streets and sidewalks are crusted with a dangerous layer of ice, and a freezing rain advisory is in place until at least 8a.

Here’s the forecast for our area:

Today: Rain, mainly before 1pm. High near 44. East wind 10 to 16 mph becoming west. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 25. Breezy, with a west wind between 15 and 20 mph.

Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 30. Blustery, with a northwest wind between 14 and 20 mph.

Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 18. West wind between 6 and 9 mph.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 35. West wind between 6 and 13 mph.

Friday Night: A chance of snow and freezing rain between midnight and 4am, then a chance of rain, snow, and freezing rain after 4am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 27. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Saturday: Rain, snow, and freezing rain likely before 1pm, then a chance of snow between 1pm and 3pm, then a chance of rain and snow after 3pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 35. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Saturday Night: A chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 24. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Sunday: Partly sunny, with a high near 38.

Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 28.

Monday: Partly sunny, with a high near 43.

Monday Night: A chance of rain and snow. Cloudy, with a low around 29. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Tuesday: A chance of rain and snow. Cloudy, with a high near 42. Chance of precipitation is 30%.