Punxsutawney Phil made his annual prediction in Pennsylvania on Sunday as the world’s most famous groundhog saw a shadow, meaning the U.S. and Canada are set for six more weeks of winter.
Groundhog Day is celebrated in America and Canada. Every year on February 2, observers anxiously look on to see if the famous groundhog sees its shadow, which will determine if spring weather is soon to come or if there will be six more weeks of winter.
Dating back to 1887, the practice arose from the early European Christian holiday Candlemas Day. The occasion marked the halfway point between the winter and spring equinoxes, with clergymen blessing used candles and handing them out to locals every February 2.
If the weather was bright and clear during the celebration, people believed the remainder of the season would be long and difficult. However, if it was dull and cloudy, it meant spring was on the horizon.
The holiday was embraced by the Germans, who added a hedgehog to the proceedings. If the sun was shining and the mammal saw its shadow, winter would linger. If it was overcast and the hedgehog didn’t see its shadow, then spring would come early.
German settlers brought the tradition to Pennsylvania in the 19th century, swapping the hedgehog for the local groundhogs.
The first community celebration of Groundhog Day in Punxsutawney was in 1886. The holiday was first observed statewide in 1887 and was hosted by the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club in Gobbler’s Knob. It was also the year that locals brought in Punxsutawney Phil.
The first Punxsutawney Phil correctly prophesized six more weeks of cold weather for the state, but his successors’ attempts have been hit and miss.
According to statistics compiled by Stormfax Weather Almanac, which tracks Phil’s predictions, the groundhog has guessed the weather correctly only 39 percent of the time since the tradition began. Although there are nine years of records missing from the total number of celebrations, that figure is unlikely to sway the count in the animals’ favor.
