PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. — Punxsutawney Phil’s winter weather forecast is in! The groundhog has predicted we will have an early spring this year.
Tradition dating back to 1887 holds that if the groundhog Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow at sunrise, there will be another six weeks of winter – but if doesn’t, the US can expect an early spring.
According to folklore, if he sees his shadow there will be six more weeks of winter. If he doesn’t, spring comes early.
The “inner circle” is a group of local dignitaries who are responsible for planning the events, as well as feeding and caring for Phil himself.
As the sun rose in Gobbler’s Knob, the furry forecaster emerged from his burrow, with his handlers from the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club announcing he had not seen his shadow.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration compared Punxsutawney Phil’s forecast to theirs and found over the past decade “on average, Phill has gotten it right 40% of the time, between 2012 and 2021.” Going back all the way to his first prediction in 1887, he’s been right only 39% of the time, according to an analysis from Stormfax Weather Almanac.