PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. (AP) — That furry critter called Punxsutawney Phil has predicted six more weeks of winter during the western Pennsylvania town’s annual Groundhog Day celebration.
People gathered Thursday at Gobbler’s Knob as members of Punxsutawney Phil’s “inner circle” summoned the groundhog from his tree stump at dawn to learn if he has seen his shadow — and they say he did. 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.
The annual event in Punxsutawney, about 65 miles northeast of Pittsburgh, originated from a German legend about a furry rodent. The gathering annually attracts thousands.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration compared Punxsutawney Phil’s forecast to the nation’s actual weather the last 10 years and found “on average, Phil has gotten it right 40% of the time.” According to records dating back to 1887, Phil has predicted more winter more than 100 times (10 years were lost because no records were kept).
The 2021 and 2022 forecasts also called for six more weeks of winter and this year, coincidentally, Phil’s prediction came during a week when a mess of ice, sleet and snow has lingered across much of the southern U.S.
While Punxsutawney Phil may be the most famous groundhog seer, he’s certainly not the only one. New York City’s “Staten Island Chuck” made his prediction for an early spring during an event Thursday at the Staten Island Zoo. And in Woodstock, Illinois, “Woodstock Willie” echoed Phil’s forecast of extended winter as part of a festival celebrating the 30th anniversary of the movie Groundhog Day, which was filmed in Woodstock.