It's Groundhog Day! Did Punxsutawney Phil see his shadow or will spring come early?
Punxsutawney Phil predicts 6 more weeks of winter after waking up to see his shadow on Groundhog Day
PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. -- A big crowd turned out in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, on Sunday for Groundhog Day!
They are all there to see Punxsutawney Phil and what weather prediction he has for this year.
This year, Phil did see his shadow, which means we are in store for six more weeks of winter.
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Groundhog Day is a tradition that stretches back more than 100 years.
Legend has it, if Phil sees his shadow, we will have six more weeks of winter. But if he doesn't, spring may be sooner than we think.
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It has been unusually cold and snowy in the Northeast this winter, and some were hoping for signs of an early spring, however, it doesn't seem to be in the cards -- according to Phil.
The weather in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, during the announcement was partly cloudy with temperatures hovering at about 20 degrees Fahrenheit. Snow was expected later on Sunday.
Phil's actual prediction, however, takes place ahead of time in a place called Gobbler's Knob, a small hill just outside of the town, and has done so each year since 1887. This year marks the 139th time the event has occurred, according to the Pennsylvania Tourism Office.
The men in top hats surrounding Phil during the ceremony are members of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club Inner Circle. According to their website, their role is to "protect and perpetuate the legend of the great weather-predicting groundhog Punxsutawney Phil."
Phil's predictions have been fairly even over the past decade or so. From 2015 to 2020, the groundhog predicted a longer winter three times and an early spring three times. But overall, dating back to 1887, according to the Associated Press, Phil has predicted six more weeks of winter more than 100 times.
For those keeping track, Punxsutawney Phil has now predicted six more weeks of winter 107 times and an early spring only 21 times -- with no record of 10 of those years since 1887, according to The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
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Ultimately, Punxsutawney Phil's "predictions" should really be taken with a grain of salt.
In the 10 annual predictions from 2013 to 2022, Punxsutawney Phil was less accurate with his weather predications than flipping a coin would have been. He was right four times in that period -- 2020, 2016, 2014 and 2013 -- and was incorrect in the six other instances.
