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The legend goes if Punxsutawney sees his shadow there will be more winter to come...

Today Phil came out to all of Punxsutawney and the World.

Find 2 NEWS POSTS THAT TALK ABOUT GROUNDHOG DAY. AND ADD THEM TO THIS PADLET.

and include a Groundhog IMAGE.

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A Note of Thanks from the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club and Inner Circle: And to all of you who could not make it here this year, we hope you will take up Governor Shapiro's challenge, when he welcomed the thousands of trekkers: "

There are literally hundreds of selfless volunteers who helped make Groundhog Day here in Punxsutawney, the world's greatest winter party! It is truly impossible to thank everyone individually, but our sincerest and most heartfelt appreciation goes out to all of you! We would however, especially like to thank our Governor Josh Shapiro and his staff, Carrie Lapore and Michael Capaloney, and the staff of the Department of Community Affairs, PCN, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Punxsutawney Borough Police, Katie Laska and the Punxsutawney Chamber of Commerce, IUP and Nemacolin Woodlands, the Philettes, Alex Wilson and The Weather Channel, and all of the media. A special thanks to our Executive Director, Marcy, the Denim Demon.

And of course, to all the thousands of Faithful Followers of Phil who make Groundhog Day so special...THANK YOU!

For everyone watching at home, I have a simple question for you. What the hell are you waiting for? Come to Punxsutawney!" We look forward to seeing you all Groundhog Day February 2, 2024. But come visit Punxsutawney, Phil and Gobbler's Knob anytime.We're open year round!

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A Note of Thanks from the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club and Inner Circle: And to all of you who could not make it here this year, we hope you will take up Governor Shapiro's challenge, when he welcomed the thousands of trekkers: " There are literally hundreds of selfless volunteers who helped make Groundhog Day here in Punxsutawney, the world's greatest winter party!

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starring Bill Murray and Andy McDowell

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Groundhog Day (1993) Trailer #1 | Movieclips Classic Trailers

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Groundhog Day (1993) ⭐ 8.0 | Comedy, Drama, Fantasy

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Aleenah Martinez

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Aniya Phipps
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/groundhog-day-2021-punxsutawney-phil-predicts-6-more-weeks-of-winter/

https://www.inquirer.com/news/pennsylvania/groundhog-day-results-2021-shadow-spring-20210202.html

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Groundhog Day :)

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PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. (AP) - There will be six more weeks of winter, Punxsutawney Phil predicted as he emerged from his burrow on a snowy Tuesday morning to perform his Groundhog Day duties.

Members of Phil's "inner circle" woke up the furry critter at 7:25 a.m. at Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, to see whether he would see his shadow or not.

Shortly after this year's prediction was revealed, one of the members of the inner circle shared a message he said Phil had told him earlier in the day: "After winter, you're looking forward to one of the most beautiful and brightest springs you've ever seen."

Another member of the "inner circle" noted the uniqueness of the past year.

"People have been referencing Groundhog Day. It has felt like at times we're all living the same day over and over again," one of the members said. "Groundhog Day also shows us that the monotony ends. The cycle will be broken."

"Today actually is Groundhog Day, there's only one," he added. "There is quite literally a new day coming over the horizon."

The spectacle that is Groundhog Day still went on, but because of the coronavirus pandemic, revelers weren't able to see Phil and celebrate in person: This year, it was all virtual and included cardboard cutouts to represent spectators.

A livestream, which had more than 15,000 viewers at one point, played footage from previous Groundhog Day's ahead of the big reveal.

Then of course, the prognosticator of prognosticators emerged at dawn. The lore goes that if he sees his shadow as he did this year, there will be six more weeks of winter. If he doesn't, spring comes early.

Wearing top hats, members of the club summoned Phil from a new tree stump.

"You look beautiful," club president Jeff Lundy told Phil, who directed members to one of two scrolls.

A club member announced, "We have all passed through the darkness of night, but now see hope in morning's bright light. But now when I turn to see, there's a perfect shadow cast of me."

The livestream from Gobbler's Knob, a tiny hill just outside Punxsutawney about 65 miles (105 kilometers) northeast of Pittsburgh, is made possible by the Pennsylvania Tourism Office's Holi-stay PA. The event there - always Feb. 2 - dates back to 1887.

Phil this year, like many years in the past, gave his forecast during a major snowstorm that hit the entire Northeast.

The annual event has its origin in a German legend about a furry rodent. Records dating to the late 1800s show Phil has predicted longer winters more than 100 times. The 2020 forecast called for an early spring - however, Phil didn't say anything about a pandemic.

In its 135-year history, Phil has predicted winter 106 times and spring 20 times, the club said. Ten years were lost because no records were kept.

Punxsutawney Phil may be the most famous groundhog seer but he's certainly not the only one. There are two other high-profile "imposters," as the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club calls them, in the region.

Connecticut marked Groundhog Day with a hedgehog making the prediction after the state's official groundhog, Chuckles X, died last year. Like Phil, Phoebe predicted another six weeks of winter after seeing its shadow at the Lutz Children's Museum in Manchester.

New York City's Staten Island Chuck disagreed, predicting an early spring in a video shown on the Staten Island Zoo's Facebook page.

"We're going to have an early spring! Spring is coming," Brian Gomez, of event sponsor Investors Bank said in a video message.

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A gloomy Groundhog Day: Punxsutawney Phil says more winter

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PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. (AP) - There will be six more weeks of winter, Punxsutawney Phil predicted as he emerged from his burrow on a snowy Tuesday morning to perform his Groundhog Day duties. Members of Phil's "inner circle" woke up the furry critter at 7:25 a.m.

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Groundhog Day ( Pennsylvania German: Grund'sau dåk, Grundsaudaag, Grundsow Dawg, Murmeltiertag; Nova Scotia: Daks Day) is a tradition observed regionally in the United States and Canada on February 2 of every year. It derives from the Pennsylvania Dutch superstition that if a groundhog emerges from its burrow on this day and sees its shadow, it will retreat to its den and winter will go on for six more weeks; if it does not see its shadow, spring will arrive early. In 2024, an early spring was predicted.

While the tradition remains popular in the 21st century, studies have found no consistent association between a groundhog seeing its shadow and the subsequent arrival time of spring-like weather.

The weather lore was brought from German-speaking areas where the badger (German: Dachs) is the forecasting animal. It is related to the lore that clear weather on the Christian festival of Candlemas forebodes a prolonged winter.

The Groundhog Day ceremony held at Punxsutawney in western Pennsylvania, centering on a semi-mythical groundhog named Punxsutawney Phil, has become the most frequently attended ceremony. Grundsow Lodges in Pennsylvania Dutch Country in the southeastern part of the state observe the occasion as well. Other cities in the United States and Canada also have adopted the event.

The Pennsylvania Dutch were immigrants from German-speaking areas of Europe. The Germans had a tradition of marking Candlemas (February 2) as "Badger Day" ( Dachstag), on which if a badger emerging from its den encountered a sunny day, thereby casting a shadow, it heralded four more weeks of winter.

Candlemas is a Western Christian festival observed in the Roman Catholic and Lutheran churches. In folk religion, various traditions superstitions continue to be linked with the holiday, although this was discouraged by the Reformed Churches in the 16th century. Notably, several traditions that are part of weather lore use the weather at Candlemas to predict the start of spring.

The weather-predicting animal on Candlemas was usually the badger, although regionally, the animal was the bear or the fox. The original weather-predicting animal in Germany had been the bear, another hibernating mammal, but when they grew scarce, the lore became altered.

Similarity to the groundhog lore has been noted for the German formula: Sonnt sich der Dachs in der Lichtmeßwoche, so geht er auf vier Wochen wieder zu Loche ("If the badger sunbathes during Candlemas-week, for four more weeks he will be back in his hole"). A slight variant is found in a collection of weather lore (Bauernregeln, lit. "farmers' rules") printed in Austria in 1823.

The Pennsylvanians maintained the same tradition as the Germans on Groundhog Day, except that winter's spell would be prolonged for six weeks instead of four. For the Pennsylvania Dutch, the badger became the dox, which in Deitsch referred to "groundhog".

The standard term for "groundhog" was grun'daks (from German dachs), with the regional variant in York County being grundsau, a direct translation of the English name, according to a 19th-century book on the dialect. The form was a regional variant according to one 19th-century source. However, the weather superstition that begins Der zwet Hær'ning is Grund'sau dåk. Wânn di grundsau îr schâtte sent... ("February second is Groundhog day. If the groundhog sees its shadow...") is given as common to all fourteen counties in Dutch Pennsylvania Country, in a 1915 monograph.

In The Thomas R. Brendle Collection of Pennsylvania German Folklore, Brendle preserved the following lore from the local Pennsylvania German dialect:

Wann der Dachs sei Schadde seht im Lichtmess Marye, dann geht er widder in's Loch un beleibt noch sechs Woche drin. Wann Lichtmess Marye awwer drieb is, dann bleibt der dachs haus un's watt noch enanner Friehyaahr. (When the groundhog sees his shadow on the morning of Mary Candlemas, he will again go into his hole and remain there for six weeks. But if the morning of Mary Candlemas is overcast, the groundhog will remain outside and there will be another spring.)

The form grundsow has been used by the lodge in Allentown and elsewhere. Brendle also recorded the name "Grundsaudag" (Groundhog day in Lebanon County) and "Daxdaag" (Groundhog day in Northampton County).

Victor Hugo, in "Les Misérables", (1864) discusses the day as follows:

"...it was the second of February, that ancient Candlemas-day whose treacherous sun, the precursor of six weeks of cold, inspired Matthew Laensberg with the two lines, which have deservedly become classic:

'Qu'il luise ou qu'il luiserne, L'ours rentre en sa caverne.'

(Let it gleam or let it glimmer, The bear goes back into his cave.)"

- Hugo, Victor. "Les Misérables." Trans. Fahnestock and MacAfee, based on Wilbour. Signet Classics, NY, 1987. p. 725.

The groundhog was once also known by the obsolete Latin alias Arctomys monax. The genus name signified "bear-rat". The European marmot is of the same genus and was formerly called Arctomys alpinus. It was speculated that the European counterpart might have lore similar to the groundhog attached to it.

The German version, with the introduction of the badger (or other beasts), was an expansion of a simpler tradition that if the weather was sunny and clear on Candlemas Day, people expected winter to continue. The simpler version is summarized in the English ( Scots dialect) couplet that runs "If Candlemas is fair and clear / There'll be twa winters in the year", with equivalent phrases in French and German. And the existence of a corresponding Latin couplet has been suggested as evidence of the great antiquity of this tradition.

There did exist a belief among Roman Catholics in Britain that the hedgehog predicted the length of winter, or so it has been claimed, but without demonstration of its age, in a publication by the Scotland-born American journalist Thomas C. MacMillan in 1886, and American writer/journalist Samuel Adams Drake's book published in 1900.

In the Gaelic calendar of Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of Man, Brigid's Day (February 1) is a day for predicting the weather. While in Scotland the animal that heralds spring on this day is a snake, and on the Isle of Man a large bird, in Ireland folklorist Kevin Danaher records lore of hedgehogs being observed for this omen:

In Irish folk tradition St. Brighid's Day, 1 February, is the first day of Spring, and thus of the farmer's year. ... To see a hedgehog was a good weather sign, for the hedgehog comes come out of the hole in which he has spent the winter, looks about to judge the weather, and returns to his burrow if bad weather is going to continue. If he stays out, it means that he knows the mild weather is coming.

Additionally, the Roman rite for the goddess Februa had a procession performed on February 2, according to Yoder. The Roman calendar, in turn, had Celtic origins. February 2 concurs with Imbolc, one of the Celtic ' cross-quarter days', the four days which marked the midpoints between solstice and equinox.

The groundhog (Marmota monax) is a hibernating rodent of the family Sciuridae, belonging to the group of large ground squirrels.

The observance of Groundhog Day in the United States first occurred in German communities in Pennsylvania, according to known records. The earliest mention of Groundhog Day is an entry on February 2, 1840, in the diary of James L. Morris of Morgantown, in Pennsylvania Dutch Country, according to the book on the subject by Don Yoder. This was a Welsh enclave but the diarist was commenting on his neighbors who were of German stock.

The first reported news of a Groundhog Day observance was arguably made by the Punxsutawney Spirit newspaper of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, in 1886: "up to the time of going to press, the beast has not seen its shadow". However, it was not until the following year in 1887 that the first Groundhog Day considered "official" was commemorated there, with a group making a trip to the Gobbler's Knob part of town to consult the groundhog. People have gathered annually at the spot for the event ever since.

Clymer Freas (1867-1942) who was city editor at the Punxsutawney Spirit is credited as the "father" who conceived the idea of "Groundhog Day". It has also been suggested that Punxsutawney was where all the Groundhog Day events originated, from where it spread to other parts of the United States and Canada.

The chronologies given are somewhat inconsistent in the literature. The first "Groundhog Picnic" was held in 1887 according to one source, but given as post-circa-1889 by a local historian in a journal. The historian states that around 1889 the meat was served in the lodge's banquet, and the organized hunt started after that.

Either way, the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club was formed in 1899, and continued the hunt and "Groundhog Feast", which took place annually in September. The "hunt" portion of it became increasingly a ritualized formality, because the practical procurement of meat had to occur well ahead of time for marinating. A drink called the "groundhog punch" was also served. The flavor has been described as a "cross between pork and chicken". The hunt and feast did not attract enough outside interest, and the practice was discontinued.

Groundhog Day, Punxsutawney, 2013

The largest Groundhog Day celebration is held in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, where crowds as large as 40,000 gather each year, nearly eight times the year-round population of the town which is 5,769 as of 2020. The average draw had been about 2,000 until the 1993 film Groundhog Day, which is set at the festivities in Punxsutawney, after which attendance rose to about 10,000.

The official Phil is pretended to be a supercentenarian, having been the same forecasting beast since 1887. For the past several years, the event has been live streamed, allowing more people than ever to watch the animal meteorologist.

In 2019, for the 133rd year of the tradition, the groundhog was summoned to come out at 7:25 am on February 2, but did not see its shadow. Fans of Punxsutawney Phil awaited his arrival starting at 6:00 am, thanks to a live stream provided by Visit Pennsylvania.

2021 was the 135th celebration, and for the first time, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the ceremony was held behind closed doors, with no fans allowed to attend and most of the Inner Circle members being required to wear a mask, including Phill. The groundhog was summoned at 7:25 am on February 2 and saw its shadow.

2022 saw the 136th celebration of the normal in-person event and the groundhog saw its shadow, predicting six more weeks of winter.

In 2023, during the 137th prognostication event, the groundhog once again saw its shadow, calling for six more weeks of winter.

In 2024, during the 138th and most recent prognostication event, the groundhog did not see its shadow, calling for an early Spring. This has only happened 20 times in the celebration's recorded history: 1902, 1934, 1942, 1950, 1970, 1975, 1983, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2007, 2011, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2020, and 2024.

The Slumbering Groundhog Lodge, which was formed in 1907, has carried out the ceremonies that take place in Quarryville, Pennsylvania. It used to be a contending rival to Punxsutawney over the Groundhog Day fame. It employs a taxidermic specimen (stuffed woodchuck).

In Southeastern Pennsylvania, Groundhog Lodges ( Grundsow Lodges) celebrate the holiday with fersommlinge, social events in which food is served, speeches are made, and one or more g'spiel (plays or skits) are performed for entertainment. The Pennsylvania German dialect is the only language spoken at the event, and those who speak English pay a penalty, usually in the form of a nickel, dime, or quarter per word spoken, with the money put into a bowl in the center of the table.

In Milltown, New Jersey, Milltown Mel was purchased in 2008 in Sunbury, Pennsylvania, by Jerry and Cathy Guthlein, and lived in a cage in the Guthleins' back yard. Mel's first event was at the family business, the Bronson and Guthlein Funeral Home, with later events moved to the American Legion Post, with free coffee and doughnuts served afterwards. Mel died in 2021.)

Stonewall Jackson predicts at Space Farms Zoo and Museum.

Essex Ed the groundhog and Otis the Hedgehog predict at Turtle Back Zoo.

"Malverne Mel" is the groundhog of Malverne, in Long Island, New York. Mel began his position in 1996.

Great Neck Greta, of Great Neck, Long Island, New York, predicted in 2020.

Staten Island Chuck is the stage name for the official weather-forecasting woodchuck for New York City, housed in the Staten Island Zoo. In 2009, Chuck bit then-NYC-Mayor Mike Bloomberg, prompting zoo officials to quietly replace him with his daughter Charlotte. In 2014, NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio, famously dropped Charlotte during the ceremony, visibly disturbing many of the children present for the event. Charlotte's untimely death a week later prompted rumors she was killed by the fall, although the zoo later said this was unlikely to be the cause of Charlotte's demise. As a result, Bill de Blasio did not participate in the tradition thereafter.

Dunkirk Dave (a stage name for numerous groundhogs that have filled the role since 1960) is the local groundhog for Western New York, handled by Bob Will, a typewriter repairman who runs a rescue shelter for groundhogs. Will is adamant that Dunkirk Dave does not actually predict the date of spring because that is fixed by calendars, but instead predicts the harshness of the remainder of winter.

French Creek Freddie is West Virginia's resident groundhog meteorologist. A resident of the West Virginia State Wildlife Center in French Creek, West Virginia, Freddie made his debut in 1978, and boasts an accuracy rate of approximately 50%. On Groundhog Day, 2022, Freddie predicted six more weeks of winter, with the mayor of Buckhannon and members of the community in attendance.

Holtsville Hal resides at the Holtsville Ecology Site and Animal Preserve in Holtsville, NY. He predicts the weather for Suffolk County, NY, in front of hundreds of residents each Groundhog Day.

In the Midwest, Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, is the self-proclaimed "Groundhog Capital of the World". This title taken in response to the Punxsutawney Spirit's 1952 newspaper article describing Sun Prairie as a "remote two cow village buried somewhere in the wilderness..." In 2015, Jimmy the Groundhog bit the ear of Mayor Jon Freund and the story quickly went viral worldwide. The next day a mayoral proclamation absolved Jimmy XI of any wrongdoing.

Buckeye Chuck, Ohio's official State Groundhog, is one of two weather-predicting groundhogs. He resides in Marion, Ohio.[citation needed ]

Woodstock Willie, in Woodstock, Illinois, the shooting location for the 1993 film Groundhog Day.

Concord Casimir, while not a groundhog, is a weather-predicting cat whose forecast is based on how he eats his annual pierogi meal. He resides in Concord, Ohio, on the outskirts of Cleveland.

In Washington, D.C., the Dupont Circle Groundhog Day event features Potomac Phil, another taxidermic specimen. From his first appearance in 2012 to 2018, Phil's spring predictions invariably agreed with those of the more lively Punxsutawney Phil, who made his predictions half an hour earlier. In addition, Phil always predicted correctly six more months of political gridlock. However, after being accused of collusion in 2018, Potomac Phil contradicted Punxsutawney Phil in 2019, and further, predicted two more years of political insanity.

Birmingham Bill, at Birmingham Zoo, was "taking a break" from predicting in 2015.

In Raleigh, North Carolina, an annual event at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences included Sir Walter Wally. According to museum officials, Wally had been correct 58% of the time vs. Punxsutawney Phil's 39%. Sir Walter Wally retired after 2022 leaving Snerd of Garner as the only weather-predicting groundhog in the state.

Elsewhere in the American South, the General Beauregard Lee makes predictions from Lilburn, Georgia (later Butts County, Georgia). The University of Dallas in Irving, Texas has boasted of hosting the second largest Groundhog celebration in the world.

Shubenacadie Sam makes the winter prediction at Nova Scotia's Shubenacadie Wildlife Park, 2024

The day is observed with various ceremonies at other locations in North America beyond the United States.

In Nova Scotia, Groundhog Day traditions arrived with German Foreign Protestant immigrants in the 1750s where it was known as "Daks Day" (from the German dachs) in the German dialect of Lunenburg County settlers.) Due to Nova Scotia'sDue to Nova Scotia's Atlantic Time Zone, the province's official groundhog, Shubenacadie Sam makes the first Groundhog Day prediction in North America, a tradition at Nova Scotia's Shubenacadie Wildlife Park since 1987.

In French Canada, where the day is known as Jour de la marmotte, Fred la marmotte of Val-d'Espoir was the representative forecaster for the province of Quebec from 2009 until his death in 2023. A study also shows that in Quebec, the marmot and groundhog ( siffleux) are regarded as Candlemas weather-predicting beasts in some scattered spots, but the bear is the more usual animal.

Balzac Billy is the "Prairie Prognosticator", a man-sized groundhog mascot who prognosticates weather on Groundhog Day from Balzac, Alberta.

Punxsutawney Phil's statistics are kept by the Pennsylvania's Groundhog Club which cares for the animal. Phil has predicted 106 forecasts for winter and 21 for an early spring. One year he had a partial shadow, in 1942. There were 10 years when Phil's prediction was not recorded, all of which occurred in the 1880s and 1890s. There has been one year when the event was canceled (1943) due to World War II.

Most assessments of Phil's accuracy have given an accuracy lower than would be expected with random chance. Stormfax Almanac gives Phil an estimate of 39% accuracy. Meteorologist Tim Roche of Weather Underground gives Phil an 36% accuracy rate between 1969 and 2016, a range chosen because local weather data was most reliable from 1969 onward, and a 47% accuracy record in that time span when predicting early spring. The National Centers for Environmental Information, using a basic metric of above-normal temperatures for early spring and below-normal temperatures for more winter, placed Punxsutawney Phil's accuracy at 40% for the ten-year period preceding 2019.

The Farmer's Almanac, which itself has been known for forecasts of questionable accuracy, gives an assessment of "exactly 50 percent" accuracy. The National Geographic Society reports a 28% success rate. A Middlebury College team found that Phil's long-term analysis of temperature high/low predictions were 70% accurate, although when the groundhog predicted early spring it was usually wrong. Canadian meteorologist Cindy Day has estimated that Nova Scotia's " Shubenacadie Sam" has an accuracy rate of about 45%, compared to 25% for Wiarton Willy in Ontario.

Prediction based on an animal's behavior used to be given more credence in the past, when stores of food became scarce as winter progressed.

One theory states that the groundhog naturally comes out of hibernation in central Pennsylvania in early February because of the increasing average temperature. Under this theory, if German settlement had been centered further north, Groundhog Day would take place at a later date. However, the observed behavior of groundhogs in central New Jersey was that they mostly come out of their burrows in mid-March, regardless of Groundhog Day weather.

There are several different ways of defining when spring begins. By some common methods of doing so, the first day of spring is around March 20, which is always just under seven weeks after February 2, even in leap years. The idea of "spring arriving early" is a highly subjective notion which could arguably refer to almost anything, from several days to several weeks.[citation needed ]

In Croatia and Serbia, Orthodox Christians have a tradition that on February 2 (Candlemas) or February 15 ( Sretenje, The Meeting of the Lord), the bear will awaken from winter dormancy, and if it sees (meets) its own shadow in this sleepy and confused state, it will get scared and go back to sleep for an additional 40 days, thus prolonging the winter. Thus, if it is sunny on Sretenje, it is a sign that the winter is not over yet. If it is cloudy, it is a good sign that the winter is about to end.

Similarly in Germany, on the June 27, they recognize the Seven Sleepers' Day ( Siebenschläfertag). If it rains that day, the rest of summer is supposedly going to be rainy. As well, in the United Kingdom, July 15 is known as St. Swithin's day. It was traditionally believed that, if it rained on that day, it would rain for the next 40 days and nights.

The holiday gained more prominence, particularly internationally, with the release of the 1993 comedy film Groundhog Day with Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell. The film became the 13th highest grossing of the year, with over $70 million at the box office. Over time, the film became a cult classic and significantly increased awareness and attendance at Groundhog Day events.

In addition to the classic Groundhog Day, more movies have been subsequently released following the concept of a time loop, where the main character(s) are trapped in the same day. From Happy Death Day, where a college student relives her death until she discovers who her killer is, starring Jessica Rothe, Israel Broussard, and Ruby Modine, to The Map of Tiny Perfect Things, where two kids attempt to find every 'perfect' part of the day they relive, starring Kathryn Newton and Kyle Allen.

The holiday's origins also plays a prominent role in the 1979 Rankin/Bass holiday special , where groundhog prognosticator Pardon-Me Pete's shadow is actually manipulated by Jack Frost, initially so Jack could buy more time to use his wintery magic to protect January Junction from the villain, but over the years since, has become a proper agreement between the two to give Jack more time for wintery fun in exchange for Pete getting extra hibernation time.[citation needed ]

Davis, Christopher R. (April 1985), "Totemism and Civic Boosterism in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, 1899-1909", The Western Pennsylvania Historical Magazine, 68 (2), archived from the original on December 24, 2017

Yoder, Don (2003). Groundhog Day. Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania: Stackpole Books. ISBN 0811700291. OCLC 52542605. Archived from the original on August 3, 2020.

Old, W. C., and P. Billin-Frye (2004). The Groundhog Day Book of Facts and Fun. Morton Grove, IL: Albert Whitman.

Pulling, A. F. (2001). Around Punxsutawney. Charleston, S.C.: Arcadia.

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Groundhog Day ( Pennsylvania German: Grund'sau dåk, Grundsaudaag, Grundsow Dawg, Murmeltiertag; Nova Scotia: Daks Day) is a tradition observed regionally in the United States and Canada on February 2 of every year.

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Punxsutawney Phil, the weather-predicting US marmot, has forecast another six weeks of winter on Groundhog Day 2021.

The creature, who emerges from his tree-stump burrow in the small town of Gobbler's Knob in western Pennsylvania at dawn on the same day every year, came out and saw his shadow.

According to legend, that means the country can expect below-average temperatures for the next six weeks.

But, on the upside, Phil reckons a lovely Spring will follow once the cold weather clears.

Tens of thousands normally attend the annual festival, made famous by the 1993 romantic comedy starring Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell.

Last year, 40,000 people came, said Phil's handlers, the Groundhog Club. This year the crowds were replaced by cardboard cut-outs.

Anyone wanting to follow it had to do so online as, due to the continued spread of COVID-19, no visitors were permitted at the ceremony, which was streamed live by the Pennsylvania Tourism Office.

His prediction could hardly be better timed, just as the northeastern US got blanketed with its second day of snow and with Pennsylvania one of the states where more is forecast as a major storm rumbles through.

More than a foot of snow fell in some parts, including in New York City.

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Little wonder, perhaps, that his handlers announced Phil decided to wait it out for another six weeks.

Jeff Lundy, president of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club and Phil's official interpreter, said: "Now, when I turn to see, there's a perfect shadow cast of me, six more weeks of winter there will be."

Mr Lundy had a hopeful message for the future, adding that Phil "has also told us after winter, you're looking forward to one of the most beautiful and brightest springs you've ever seen".

Dan McGinley, aka Moonshine, one of the top-hatted and face-masked club members officiating, said: "Normally, there are thousands of you here with us helping us celebrate.

"This year, a few of you did manage to sneak in - in replica form. Your avatars are our crowd. You look great."

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Last year, Punxsutawney Phil predicted an early spring by not seeing his shadow.

Sure enough, temperatures came in above average in the region and across the contiguous United States, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

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Groundhog Day: Punxsutawney Phil predicts six more weeks of winter as fans follow ceremony online

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Punxsutawney Phil, the weather-predicting US marmot, has forecast another six weeks of winter on Groundhog Day 2021. The creature, who emerges from his tree-stump burrow in the small town of Gobbler's Knob in western Pennsylvania at dawn on the same day every year, came out and saw his shadow.

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You'll want to burrow away after hearing this.

Punxsutawney Phil predicted six more weeks of winter on Tuesday during the annual Groundhog Day ceremony in Pennsylvania.

As a light snow fell just around dawn, members of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club made their way to the famous forecaster's stump, without the usual crowd of thousands because of the coronavirus pandemic.

"You look beautiful today," club president Jeff Lundy whispered to the rodent, placing him atop the stump to make his prognostication by pointing to one of two scrolls just before 7:30 a.m.

The furry soothsayer "saw" the shadow scroll - meaning Old Man Winter will be sticking around for six more weeks.

"We have passed the darkness of night but now see hope and morning's bright light. But now when I turn to see there's a perfect shadow cast of me. Six more weeks of winter there will be!" club vice president Tom Dunkel read from the chosen scroll.

Punxsutawney Phil is placed on his stump during annual Groundhog Day festivities on Wednesday, February 2, 2021.

Lundy, however, issued a message of hope as the country nears the one-year anniversary of the beginning of the coronavirus crisis.

"I want to tell you [Phil] has also told us after winter, you're looking forward to one of the most beautiful and brightest springs you've ever seen," Lundy said.

The furry oracle's prediction came even as flurries were still in the forecast Tuesday, following a brutal winter storm that dumped as much as 27 inches on parts of New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

The yearly ritual, which dates back to 1887, was held virtually this year amid the coronavirus pandemic.

In place of the usual crowd at Gobbler's Knob park in Jefferson County, Phil was surrounded by cutouts of fans who had hoped to be there in person.

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Groundhog Day 2021: Punxsutawney Phil predicts winter will hang on

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You'll want to burrow away after hearing this. Punxsutawney Phil predicted six more weeks of winter on Tuesday during the annual Groundhog Day ceremony in Pennsylvania. As a light snow fell just around dawn, members of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club made their way to the famous forecaster's stump, without the usual crowd of thousands because of the coronavirus pandemic.

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groundhog day: punxsutawney phil sees his shadow

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Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow and predicts six more weeks of winter

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Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow Tuesday morning and, as legend holds, that means six additional weeks of heavy coats and mittens.

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ugly

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MALVERNE, NY - Malverne Mel, Nassau County's meteorological groundhog, has made his prediction for the end of the winter of 2021. It was the 26th year Malverne has held its Groundhog Day celebration.

According to Mel, we're going to have an early spring this year. The groundhog, who was in a rather unpleasant mood despite it being his big day, told Malverne Mayor Keith Corbett his prediction.

"I, Mayor Keith Corbett, was witness to Malverne Mel, who prognosticated to me that upon looking for his shadow, it could not be seen," Corbett proclaimed. "So I'm pleased to announce to all of Malverne it will be an early spring."

You can watch the ceremony right here:

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Malverne Mel Makes His 2021 Groundhog Day Prediction

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MALVERNE, NY - Malverne Mel, Nassau County's meteorological groundhog, has made his prediction for the end of the winter of 2021. It was the 26th year Malverne has held its Groundhog Day celebration. According to Mel, we're going to have an early spring this year.

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groundhog day: punxsutawney phil sees his shadow

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Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow and predicts six more weeks of winter

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Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow Tuesday morning and, as legend holds, that means six additional weeks of heavy coats and mittens.

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Pennsylvania's most famous groundhog emerged from his burrow on a snowy Tuesday morning and saw his shadow, declaring there would be six more weeks of winter. Members of Punxsutawney Phil's "Inner Circle" woke up the furry critter at 7:25 a.m. to see whether he would see his shadow or not.

The spectacle that is Groundhog Day at Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania went on but this year, it was all virtual because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Shortly after this year's prediction was revealed, one of the members of the inner circle shared a message he said Phil had told him earlier in the day: "After winter, you're looking forward to one of the most beautiful and brightest springs you've ever seen."

Another member of the "inner circle" noted the uniqueness of the past year.

"People have been referencing Groundhog Day. It has felt like at times we're all living the same day over and over again," one of the members said. "Groundhog Day also shows us that the monotony ends. The cycle will be broken."

"Today actually is Groundhog Day, there's only one," he added. "There is quite literally a new day coming over the horizon."

According to records dating back to 1887, the Pennsylvanian prognosticator has predicted more winter more than 100 times. Last year, Phil predicted an early spring.

A livestream, which had more than 15,000 viewers at one point, played footage from previous Groundhog Day's ahead of the big reveal.

Then of course, the prognosticator of prognosticators - assisted by his Inner Circle - emerged at dawn. The lore goes that if he sees his shadow as he did this year, there will be six more weeks of winter. If he doesn't, spring comes early.

The livestream from Gobbler's Knob, a tiny hill just outside Punxsutawney about 65 miles (105 kilometers) northeast of Pittsburgh, is made possible by the Pennsylvania Tourism Office's Holi-stay PA. The event there, always on February 2, dates back to 1887.

Phil this year, like many years in the past, gave his forecast during a major snowstorm that hit the entire Northeast.

Jeff Lundy, the president of the Groundhog Club, told CBS Pittsburgh: "I've been doing this for a long time. I did not really understand the economic impact until now. And now I see it, because so many businesses they don't depend on on Groundhog Day, but it really is that extra income that you may not get so it has had a, it has had a very, very negative impact on the community."

Trending News

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Groundhog Day 2021: Punxsutawney Phil predicts 6 more weeks of winter

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Pennsylvania's most famous groundhog emerged from his burrow on a snowy Tuesday morning and saw his shadow, declaring there would be six more weeks of winter. Members of Punxsutawney Phil's "Inner Circle" woke up the furry critter at 7:25 a.m. to see whether he would see his shadow or not.

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Groundhog Day 2021: Punxsutawney Phil makes his prediction

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You'll want to burrow away after hearing this.

Punxsutawney Phil predicted six more weeks of winter on Tuesday during the annual Groundhog Day ceremony in Pennsylvania.

As a light snow fell just around dawn, members of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club made their way to the famous forecaster's stump, without the usual crowd of thousands because of the coronavirus pandemic.

"You look beautiful today," club president Jeff Lundy whispered to the rodent, placing him atop the stump to make his prognostication by pointing to one of two scrolls just before 7:30 a.m.

The furry soothsayer "saw" the shadow scroll - meaning Old Man Winter will be sticking around for six more weeks.

"We have passed the darkness of night but now see hope and morning's bright light. But now when I turn to see there's a perfect shadow cast of me. Six more weeks of winter there will be!" club vice president Tom Dunkel read from the chosen scroll.

Punxsutawney Phil is placed on his stump during annual Groundhog Day festivities on Wednesday, February 2, 2021.

Lundy, however, issued a message of hope as the country nears the one-year anniversary of the beginning of the coronavirus crisis.

"I want to tell you [Phil] has also told us after winter, you're looking forward to one of the most beautiful and brightest springs you've ever seen," Lundy said.

The furry oracle's prediction came even as flurries were still in the forecast Tuesday, following a brutal winter storm that dumped as much as 27 inches on parts of New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

The yearly ritual, which dates back to 1887, was held virtually this year amid the coronavirus pandemic.

In place of the usual crowd at Gobbler's Knob park in Jefferson County, Phil was surrounded by cutouts of fans who had hoped to be there in person.

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Groundhog Day 2021: Punxsutawney Phil predicts winter will hang on

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You'll want to burrow away after hearing this. Punxsutawney Phil predicted six more weeks of winter on Tuesday during the annual Groundhog Day ceremony in Pennsylvania. As a light snow fell just around dawn, members of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club made their way to the famous forecaster's stump, without the usual crowd of thousands because of the coronavirus pandemic.

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PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. ( WTAJ) - Six more weeks of winter or six more weeks of spring? Punxsutawney Phil made his prediction Tuesday morning.

The seer of seers did in fact see his shadow. Six more weeks of winter are in store for us, but he says it will also be a wonderful spring when it comes.

This is the 106th time that Phil has seen his shadow since the tradition began.

No visitors were permitted this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but WTAJ was live at Gobbler's Knob to see Punxsutawney Phil, This was actually Joe Murgo's 20th year IN A ROW at the Knob for Groundhog Day.
VisitPA presents Holi-stay: For related activities, check out VisitPA's Holi-stay website.
"Whether you're hoping for six more weeks of winter fun or an early spring, we could all use some extra happiness this year," Carrie Lepore of the Department of Community and Economic Development said.

Featured activities include recipes, curated Spotify playlists, giveaways and a live stream of the event starting at 6:30 a.m. EST on Feb. 2.

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Six more weeks of winter: Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow

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PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. ( WTAJ) - Six more weeks of winter or six more weeks of spring? Punxsutawney Phil made his prediction Tuesday morning. The seer of seers did in fact see his shadow. Six more weeks of winter are in store for us, but he says it will also be a wonderful spring when it comes.

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It's cold and snowy across the Philadelphia region, and Punxsutawney Phil doesn't expect things to change for the next six weeks.

On Tuesday morning, the nation's foremost marmot weather expert saw his shadow after scurrying out of a burrow at Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney. As the legend goes, that means the country can expect below-average temperatures for the next six weeks.

(Although he did also promise one of the most beautiful springs we'll ever see after that.)

Normally, the announcement of Phil's annual forecast draws tens of thousands of people to the small town in western Pennsylvania (last year, more than 40,000 people came to watch the ceremony, according to Phil's handlers, the Groundhog Club). This year, due to the continued spread of COVID-19, no visitors were permitted at the ceremony, which was streamed live by the Pennsylvania Tourism Office.

How accurate has Punxsutawney Phil been over the years?

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Last year, Punxsutawney Phil predicted an early spring by not seeing his shadow. Sure enough, temperatures came in above average in the region and across the contiguous United States, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Unfortunately, Phil hasn't been that accurate over the years.

What about that rival groundhog in Staten Island?

While Phil gets the bulk of the attention and headlines, his New York City rival - Staten Island Chuck - also gets trotted out every year to offer a competing forecast for the next six weeks.

Chuck, who also goes by Charles G. Hogg, resides at the Staten Island Zoo. He and his predecessors have been making weather predictions since 1981, and like Phil he was proven correct last year by forecasting an early spring.

How did this whole marmot-predicting-the-weather thing start?

According to the Pennsylvania Tourism Office, Romans brought the early Christian holiday Candlemas to Germany, who concluded that if there was enough sun on Candlemas Day for a badger to cast a shadow, there would be six more weeks of bad weather.

German immigrants brought this tradition to Pennsylvania, and in 1886 the editor of Punxsutawney's newspaper, teamed up with a group of groundhog hunters to begin the legend of Punxsutawney Phil's weather prowess. So in the United States and Canada, we celebrate Groundhog Day on the same date Christians across the globe celebrate Candlemas.

Bill Murray's role in 'Groundhog Day' almost went to Michael Keaton

It's hard to think of Groundhog Day without thinking of Groundhog Day, the 1993 film staring Bill Murray as disgruntled Channel 9 weatherman Phil Connors, who is forced to cover a weather-predicting "rat" for the fourth-straight year.

It's impossible to imagine another actor replacing Murray in the role. But a few years ago, Pennsylvania native Michael Keaton revealed in an interview with Entertainment Weekly he turned the movie down because he "didn't get it," a move he's come to regret.

"This guy sounds like the kind of wry, sardonic, glib young man I've played-and it ended up being so great," Keaton told the magazine. "But you can't do it better than Bill Murray did it."

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Groundhog Day 2021: Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow

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It's cold and snowy across the Philadelphia region, and Punxsutawney Phil doesn't expect things to change for the next six weeks. On Tuesday morning, the nation's foremost marmot weather expert saw his shadow after scurrying out of a burrow at Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney.

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Here's a picture of the groundhog.

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Punxsutawney Phil, Pennsylvania's most famous groundhog, awoke this morning to see his shadow which means that -- according to legend -- there will be six more weeks of winter.

This year, however, due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the pomp and circumstance all went virtual meaning that the thousands of revelers who gather every Feb. 2 in the town of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, to see whether or not the famous groundhog sees his shadow were not there in person to celebrate.
MORE: Southwest Airlines bans emotional support animals on flights, only trained dogs allowed
Instead, people were able to log on and listen to winter- and spring-inspired Spotify playlists while also learning how to make Wigle Whiskey cocktails and at-home crafts, including the official cookie of Groundhog Day, according to the Associated Press.

Legend has it that if he sees his shadow then winter will continue for another six weeks but if Punxsutawney Phil does not see his shadow spring will come early.
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"Whether you're hoping for six more weeks of winter fun or an early spring, we could all use some extra happiness this year," said Pennsylvania Tourism Office department spokesperson Carrie Lepore in a release.

Phil's actual prediction 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. 2021 marks the 135th time the event has occurred, according to the Pennsylvania Tourism Office.
MORE: Police dog shot and killed after gunman opens fire into patrol car
Phil's predictions have been fairly even over the past six years from 2015 to 2020 with the groundhog predicting 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 making this year's prognostication a return to normal after last year's prediction of an early spring.
Punxsutawney Phil predicts 6 more weeks of winter after seeing his shadow at virtual ceremony originally appeared on abcnews.go.com

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Punxsutawney Phil predicts 6 more weeks of winter after seeing his shadow at virtual ceremony

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Punxsutawney Phil, Pennsylvania's most famous groundhog, awoke this morning to see his shadow which means that -- according to legend -- there will be six more weeks of winter. This year, however, due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the pomp and circumstance all went virtual meaning that the thousands of revelers who gather every Feb.

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Pennsylvania's most famous groundhog on Tuesday emerged from the snow and saw his shadow, declaring there would be six more weeks of winter. At sunrise on Groundhog Day, members of Punxsutawney Phil's top hat-wearing inner circle revealed the cuddly oracle's prediction - his 135th, according to the Pennsylvania Tourism Office.

The spectacle that is Groundhog Day at Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, went on but this year, it was all virtual because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The annual event has its origin in a German legend that says if a furry rodent casts a shadow on February 2, winter continues. If not, spring comes early.

Last year, Phil predicted an early spring. According to records dating back to 1887, the Pennsylvanian prognosticator has predicted more winter more than 100 times.

Groundhog Day is a 135-year tradition in Punxsutawney and doing it without a crowd has some real world consequences.

Jeff Lundy, the president of the Groundhog Club, told CBS Pittsburgh: "I've been doing this for a long time. I did not really understand the economic impact until now. And now I see it, because so many businesses they don't depend on on Groundhog Day, but it really is that extra income that you may not get so it has had a, it has had a very, very negative impact on the community."
Eye Opener: Heavy snow, fierce wind pummel Northeast Pentagon halts vaccinations at Guantanamo Bay Biden meets with GOP senators on COVID relief

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Groundhog Day 2021: Punxsutawney Phil makes his prediction

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Pennsylvania's most famous groundhog on Tuesday emerged from the snow and saw his shadow, declaring there would be six more weeks of winter. At sunrise on Groundhog Day, members of Punxsutawney Phil's top hat-wearing inner circle revealed the cuddly oracle's prediction - his 135th, according to the Pennsylvania Tourism Office.

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135th Groundhog Day celebration  | USA Today

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groundhog day :)

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PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. (AP) - There will be six more weeks of winter, Punxsutawney Phil predicted as he emerged from his burrow on a snowy Tuesday morning to perform his Groundhog Day duties.

Members of Phil's "inner circle" woke up the furry critter at 7:25 a.m. at Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, to see whether he would see his shadow or not.

Shortly after this year's prediction was revealed, one of the members of the circle shared a message he said Phil had told him earlier in the day: "After winter, you're looking forward to one of the most beautiful and brightest springs you've ever seen."

The spectacle that is Groundhog Day in Punxsutawney still went on, but because of the coronavirus pandemic, revelers weren't able to see Phil and celebrate in person: This year, it was all virtual.

After the inner circle delivered the news, they hung around to take selfies and photographs of themselves with Phil against the fresh blanket of snow. One hundred and fifty cardboard cutouts purchased by fans and featuring photos of them in groundhog gear or with their pets dotted the hillside.

With few media outlets in attendance, Phil was able to avoid the usual throng of interviews and appearances. The quiet stood out during the pandemic-altered event.

"People have been referencing Groundhog Day. It has felt like at times we're all living the same day over and over again," one of the inner circle members said. "Groundhog Day also shows us that the monotony ends. The cycle will be broken."

"Today actually is Groundhog Day, there's only one," he added. "There is quite literally a new day coming over the horizon."

A livestream, which had more than 15,000 viewers at one point, played footage from previous Groundhog Days ahead of the big reveal.

Then of course, the prognosticator of prognosticators emerged at dawn. The lore goes that if he sees his shadow as he did this year, there will be six more weeks of winter. If he doesn't, spring comes early.

Wearing top hats, members of the club summoned Phil from a new tree stump.

"You look beautiful," club president Jeff Lundy told Phil, who directed members to one of two scrolls.

A club member announced, "We have all passed through the darkness of night, but now see hope in morning's bright light. But now when I turn to see, there's a perfect shadow cast of me."

The livestream from Gobbler's Knob, a tiny hill just outside Punxsutawney about 65 miles (105 kilometers) northeast of Pittsburgh, is made possible by the Pennsylvania Tourism Office's Holi-stay PA. Tuesday's event there - Groundhog Day is always Feb. 2 - was Phil's 135th turn as a weather oracle.

Phil this year, like many years in the past, gave his forecast during a major snowstorm that hit the entire Northeast.

The annual event has its origin in a German legend about a furry rodent. Records dating to the late 1800s show Phil has predicted longer winters more than 100 times. The 2020 forecast called for an early spring - however, Phil didn't say anything about a pandemic.

According to records dating back to 1887, Phil has predicted winter more than 100 times, the club said. Ten years were lost because no records were kept.

Punxsutawney Phil may be the most famous groundhog seer but he's certainly not the only one. There are two other high-profile "imposters," as the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club calls them, in the region.

Connecticut marked Groundhog Day with a hedgehog making the prediction after the state's official groundhog, Chuckles X, died last year. Like Phil, Phoebe predicted another six weeks of winter after seeing its shadow at the Lutz Children's Museum in Manchester.

New York City's Staten Island Chuck disagreed, predicting an early spring in a video shown on the Staten Island Zoo's Facebook page.

"We're going to have an early spring! Spring is coming," Brian Gomez, of event sponsor Investors Bank said in a video message.

___

Marsh reported from Trenton, New Jersey. Associated Press writer Christina Paciolla contributed to this report from Philadelphia.

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A gloomy Groundhog Day: Punxsutawney Phil says more winter

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There will be six more weeks of winter, Punxsutawney Phil predicted as he emerged from his burrow on a snowy Tuesday morning to perform his Groundhog Day duties. Members of Phil's "inner circle" woke up the furry critter at 7:25 a.m. at Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, to see whether he would see his shadow or not.

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There will be six more weeks of winter Punxsutawney Phil predicted as he emerged from his burrow on a snowy Tuesday morning to perform his Groundhog Day duties.One of the members of Phil's "inner circle" spoke before his prediction was revealed, noting that it's been a "unique year.""People have been referencing Groundhog Day. It has felt like at times we're all living the same day over and over again," one of the members said. "Groundhog Day also shows us that the monotony ends. The cycle will be broken.""Today actually is Groundhog Day, there's only one," he added. "There is quite literally a new day coming over the horizon."The spectacle that is Groundhog Day at Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, still went on, but because of the coronavirus pandemic, revelers weren't able to see him and celebrate in person: This year, it's all virtual.A livestream, which had more than 15,000 viewers at one point, played footage from previous Groundhog Day's ahead of the big reveal.Then of course, the prognosticator of prognosticators - assisted by his Inner Circle - emerged at dawn. The lore goes that if he sees his shadow as he did this year, there will be six more weeks of winter. If he doesn't, spring comes early.The livestream from Gobbler's Knob, a tiny hill just outside Punxsutawney about 65 miles northeast of Pittsburgh, is made possible by the Pennsylvania Tourism Office's Holi-stay PA. The event there - always Feb. 2 - dates back to 1887.Phil this year, like many years in the past, gave his forecast during a major snowstorm that hit the entire Northeast.The annual event has its origin in a German legend about a furry rodent. Records dating to the late 1800s show Phil has predicted longer winters more than 100 times. The 2020 forecast called for an early spring - however, Phil didn't say anything about a pandemic.Punxsutawney Phil may be the most famous groundhog seer but he's certainly not the only one. There are two other high-profile "imposters," as the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club calls them, in the region.Staten Island Chuck will be asked for his prophesy Tuesday around 8 a.m. at the Staten Island Zoo in New York. That event will be streamed on Facebook since the zoo is closed.Also without fanfare, Chuckles, Connecticut's official state groundhog, will make a prediction from home: the Lutz Children's Museum in Manchester. That will also be streamed on Facebook. Chuckles X died in September, and it remains to be seen whether an anointed Chuckles XI will emerge Tuesday.

There will be six more weeks of winter Punxsutawney Phil predicted as he emerged from his burrow on a snowy Tuesday morning to perform his Groundhog Day duties.

One of the members of Phil's "inner circle" spoke before his prediction was revealed, noting that it's been a "unique year."

"People have been referencing Groundhog Day. It has felt like at times we're all living the same day over and over again," one of the members said. "Groundhog Day also shows us that the monotony ends. The cycle will be broken."

"Today actually is Groundhog Day, there's only one," he added. "There is quite literally a new day coming over the horizon."

The spectacle that is Groundhog Day at Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, still went on, but because of the coronavirus pandemic, revelers weren't able to see him and celebrate in person: This year, it's all virtual.

A livestream, which had more than 15,000 viewers at one point, played footage from previous Groundhog Day's ahead of the big reveal.

Then of course, the prognosticator of prognosticators - assisted by his Inner Circle - emerged at dawn. The lore goes that if he sees his shadow as he did this year, there will be six more weeks of winter. If he doesn't, spring comes early.

The livestream from Gobbler's Knob, a tiny hill just outside Punxsutawney about 65 miles northeast of Pittsburgh, is made possible by the Pennsylvania Tourism Office's Holi-stay PA. The event there - always Feb. 2 - dates back to 1887.

Phil this year, like many years in the past, gave his forecast during a major snowstorm that hit the entire Northeast.

The annual event has its origin in a German legend about a furry rodent. Records dating to the late 1800s show Phil has predicted longer winters more than 100 times. The 2020 forecast called for an early spring - however, Phil didn't say anything about a pandemic.

Punxsutawney Phil may be the most famous groundhog seer but he's certainly not the only one. There are two other high-profile "imposters," as the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club calls them, in the region.

Staten Island Chuck will be asked for his prophesy Tuesday around 8 a.m. at the Staten Island Zoo in New York. That event will be streamed on Facebook since the zoo is closed.

Also without fanfare, Chuckles, Connecticut's official state groundhog, will make a prediction from home: the Lutz Children's Museum in Manchester. That will also be streamed on Facebook. Chuckles X died in September, and it remains to be seen whether an anointed Chuckles XI will emerge Tuesday.

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Punxsutawney Phil says there will be 6 more weeks of winter

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There will be six more weeks of winter Punxsutawney Phil predicted as he emerged from his burrow on a snowy Tuesday morning to perform his Groundhog Day duties.One of the members of Phil's "inner circle" spoke before his prediction was revealed, noting that it's been a "unique year.""People have been referencing Groundhog Day.

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https://nypost.com/2021/02/02/groundhog-day-2021-punxsutawney-phil-predicts-winter-will-hang-on/

https://patch.com/new-york/new-york-city/staten-island-chuck-makes-groundhog-day-2021-forecast

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Hold the phone, Punxsutawney Phil! Louisiana nutria don't agree with your Groundhog Day forecast. Audubon Zoo posted on social media that Parish, their resident Nutria rat, called for an early spring. "Parish, our resident nutria crawled out of her den at the Zoo and did not see her shadow. She made it clear - New Orleanians should expect an early spring and should get ready for some sunshine and good times," said Audubon in the Facebook post. Phil called for six more weeks of winter.

Hold the phone, Punxsutawney Phil! Louisiana nutria don't agree with your Groundhog Day forecast.

Audubon Zoo posted on social media that Parish, their resident Nutria rat, called for an early spring.

"Parish, our resident nutria crawled out of her den at the Zoo and did not see her shadow. She made it clear - New Orleanians should expect an early spring and should get ready for some sunshine and good times," said Audubon in the Facebook post.

This content is imported from Facebook. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

Phil called for six more weeks of winter.

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Audubon nutria disagree with Punxsutawney Phil, call for early spring

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Hold the phone, Punxsutawney Phil! Louisiana nutria don't agree with your Groundhog Day forecast. Audubon Zoo posted on social media that Parish, their resident Nutria rat, called for an early spring. "Parish, our resident nutria crawled out of her den at the Zoo and did not see her shadow.

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PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. ( WTAJ) - Six more weeks of winter or six more weeks of spring? Punxsutawney Phil made his prediction Tuesday morning.

The seer of seers did in fact see his shadow. Six more weeks of winter are in store for us, but he says it will also be a wonderful spring when it comes.

This is the 106th time that Phil has seen his shadow since the tradition began.

No visitors were permitted this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but WTAJ was live at Gobbler's Knob to see Punxsutawney Phil, This was actually Joe Murgo's 20th year IN A ROW at the Knob for Groundhog Day.
VisitPA presents Holi-stay: For related activities, check out VisitPA's Holi-stay website.
"Whether you're hoping for six more weeks of winter fun or an early spring, we could all use some extra happiness this year," Carrie Lepore of the Department of Community and Economic Development said.

Featured activities include recipes, curated Spotify playlists, giveaways and a live stream of the event starting at 6:30 a.m. EST on Feb. 2.

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Six more weeks of winter: Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow

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PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. ( WTAJ) - Six more weeks of winter or six more weeks of spring? Punxsutawney Phil made his prediction Tuesday morning. The seer of seers did in fact see his shadow. Six more weeks of winter are in store for us, but he says it will also be a wonderful spring when it comes.

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Punxsutawney Phil was pulled from his burrow in Gobbler's Knob Tuesday morning and saw his shadow, which, according to legend, means six more weeks of winter.

Of course, even the organizers of the annual Groundhog Day event in western Pennsylvania acknowledge that turning to a large rodent for weather forecasting is mostly a way to break up winter monotony.

With snow gently falling, Phil's handlers pulled him from a tree stump, newly installed this year, about 7:25 a.m. Tuesday.

This year's event was much more subdued because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Visitors were not allowed into Gobbler's Knob. Phil's emergence from his den was live-streamed. Tens of thousands of viewers from around the world tuned in online or watched on The Weather Channel.

One of Phil's top-hatted handlers read from a scroll, "It's a beautiful morning this I can see, with all my fans viewing virtually. My faithful followers being safe and secure, our tradition of Groundhog Day must endure.

"We have all passed through the darkness of night but now see hope in morning's bright light. But now when I turn to see, there's a perfect shadow cast of me. Six more weeks of winter there will be."

The denizens of Punxsutawney have celebrated Groundhog Day every Feb. 2 since 1887. The tradition was brought over by German immigrants.
SPONSORED: Epic winter clearance sale at Sierra Trading Post
Since that first gathering, Punxsutawney Phil (there have been a few since then) has predicted more winter 104 times, according to none other than the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Last year marked the 20th time Phil did not see his shadow. Records are missing for 10 years.
The Weather Company's primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.
In the past 10 years, according to NOAA, Phil's predictions has been right about 50% of the time.

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What Did the Groundhog See? Punxsutawney Phil's Winter Predictions Are In | The Weather Channel - Articles from The Weather Channel | weather.com

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Punxsutawney Phil was pulled from his burrow in Gobbler's Knob Tuesday morning and saw his shadow, which, according to legend, means six more weeks of winter. Of course, even the organizers of the annual Groundhog Day event in western Pennsylvania acknowledge that turning to a large rodent for weather forecasting is mostly a way to break up winter monotony.

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Groundhogs can live up to 6 years in the wild. In captivity they can live up to 14 years. (is this extra credit please be)

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Punxsutawney Phil is a groundhog in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania who is the central figure in the borough's annual Groundhog Day celebration. On February 2 each year, Punxsutawney holds a civic festival with music and food. During the ceremony, which begins well before the winter sunrise, Phil emerges from his temporary home on Gobbler's Knob, located in a rural area about 2 miles (3 km) southeast of town. According to the tradition, if Phil sees his shadow and returns to his hole, he has predicted six more weeks of winter-like weather. If Phil does not see his shadow, he has predicted an "early spring." Punxsutawney's event is the most famous of the many Groundhog Day festivals held in the United States and Canada. The event formally began in 1887, although its roots go back even farther.

The event is based upon a communal light-hearted suspension of disbelief. It is organised by the "Inner Circle" - recognizable from their top hats and tuxedos - who ostensibly communicate with Phil to receive his prognostication. This suspension of disbelief extends to the assertion that the same groundhog has been making predictions since the nineteenth century.

The Vice President of the Inner Circle prepares two scrolls in advance of the actual ceremony, one proclaiming six more weeks of winter and one proclaiming an early spring. At daybreak on February 2, Punxsutawney Phil awakens from his burrow on Gobbler's Knob, is helped to the top of the stump by his handlers, and purportedly explains to the President of the Inner Circle, in a language known as "Groundhogese", whether he has seen his shadow. The President of the Inner Circle, the only person able to understand Groundhogese through his possession of an ancient acacia wood cane, then interprets Phil's message, and directs the Vice President to read the proper scroll to the crowd gathered on Gobbler's Knob and the masses of "phaithphil phollowers" tuned in to live broadcasts around the world.

The Inner Circle scripts the Groundhog Day ceremonies in advance, with the Inner Circle deciding beforehand whether Phil will see his shadow. The Stormfax Almanac has made note of the weather conditions on each Groundhog Day since 1999; the almanac has recorded 12 incidents in a 20-year span in which the Inner Circle said the groundhog saw his shadow while the sky was cloudy or there was rain or snow coming down, and in one case said the groundhog did not see his shadow despite sunshine.

The practices and lore of Punxsutawney Phil's predictions are predicated on a light-hearted suspension of disbelief by those involved. According to the lore, there is only one Phil, and all other groundhogs are impostors. It is claimed that this one groundhog has lived to make weather prognostications since 1886, sustained by drinks of "groundhog punch" or "elixir of life" administered at the annual Groundhog Picnic in the fall. The lifespan of a groundhog in the wild is roughly six years.

According to the Groundhog Club, Phil, after the prediction, speaks to the club president in the language of 'Groundhogese', which supposedly only the current president can understand, and then his prediction is translated and revealed to all.

The Groundhog Day celebration is rooted in a Celtic and Germanic tradition that says that if a hibernating animal casts a shadow on February 2, the pagan holiday of Imbolc (known among Christians as Candlemas), winter and cold weather will last another six weeks. If no shadow is seen, legend says, spring will come early. In Germany, the tradition evolved into a myth that if the sun came out on Candlemas, a hedgehog would cast its shadow, predicting snow all the way into May. When German immigrants settled in Pennsylvania, they transferred the tradition onto local fauna, replacing hedgehogs with groundhogs. Several other towns in the region hold similar Groundhog Day events.

Each year two scrolls are prepared by the vice president of the Inner Circle: One says early spring and the other says six more weeks of winter. These scrolls are placed during the ceremony on the stump and after Phil is awakened by the crowd, Phil communicates in Groundhogese to the President, who is then directed by Phil to the proper scroll and forecast.

Phil first received his name in 1961. The origins of the name are unclear, but speculation suggests that it may have been indirectly named after Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.

Prior to 1993, the Groundhog Day event in Punxsutawney attracted crowds of approximately 2,000. The popularity of the film Groundhog Day brought significantly more attention to the event, with annual crowds rising to 10,000-20,000. The event is also streamed online each year.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals have objected to the event, claiming that Phil is put under stress. They have suggested replacing Phil with a robotic groundhog.

In some cases where Phil's prognostications have been incorrect, organisations have jokingly made legal threats against the groundhog. Such tongue-in-cheek actions have been made by a prosecutor in Ohio, the sheriff's office of Monroe County, Pennsylvania, and the Merrimack, New Hampshire Police Department.

Phil and the town of Punxsutawney were portrayed in the 1993 film Groundhog Day. However, the actual town used to portray Punxsutawney in the film is Woodstock, Illinois.

In Groundhog Day, the 2016 Broadway musical adaptation of the film, Phil is ascribed a more mythical role.

In 1995, Phil flew to Chicago for a guest appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show, which aired on Groundhog Day, February 2, 1995.

A 2002 episode of Stanley titled "Searching for Spring" featured Punxsutawney Phil.

Phil was the main attraction in "Groundhog Day", the April 10, 2005, episode of the MTV series . In the episode, street skater Bam Margera holds a downhill race in honor of Punxsutawney Phil at Bear Creek Mountain Resort, Pennsylvania.

The Pennsylvania Lottery's mascot is a groundhog named Gus, referred to as in commercials as "the second most famous groundhog in Pennsylvania", in reference to Phil.

Predictive accuracy

The Inner Circle, in keeping with the suspension of disbelief, claims a 100% accuracy rate, and an approximately 80% accuracy rate in recorded predictions (claiming in turn that whenever the prediction is wrong, the person in charge of translating the message must have made a mistake in their interpretation). Impartial estimates place the groundhog's accuracy between 35% and 40%.

Potter, Sean (2008). "February 2, 1886: The First Groundhog Day in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania". Weatherwise. 61 (1): 16-17. doi:10.3200/WEWI.61.1.16-17.

Moutran, Julia Spencer (1987). The story of Punxsutawney Phil, "the fearless forecaster". Avon, Connecticut: Literary Publications. ISBN 978-0-9617819-0-3.

Benesh, Julie Ellen (2011). Becoming Punxsutawney Phil: Symbols and metaphors of transformation in Groundhog Day (PhD Thesis). Fielding Graduate University. Archived from the original on 2015-02-05.

Aaron, Michael A.; Boyd, Brewster B.; Curtis, Melanie J.; Sommers, Paul M. (2001). "Punxsutawney's Phenomenal Phorecaster" (PDF). The College Mathematics Journal. 32 (1): 26-29. doi:10.2307/2687216. JSTOR 2687216. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-05-13.

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Punxsutawney Phil is a groundhog in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania who is the central figure in the borough's annual Groundhog Day celebration. On February 2 each year, Punxsutawney holds a civic festival with music and food. During the ceremony, which begins well before the winter sunrise, Phil emerges from his temporary home on Gobbler's Knob, located in a rural area about 2 miles (3 km) southeast of town.

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Groundhog Day ( Pennsylvania German: Grund'sau dåk, Grundsaudaag, Grundsow Dawg, Murmeltiertag; Nova Scotia: Daks Day) is a tradition observed regionally in the United States and Canada on February 2 of every year. It derives from the Pennsylvania Dutch superstition that if a groundhog emerges from its burrow on this day and sees its shadow, it will retreat to its den and winter will go on for six more weeks; if it does not see its shadow, spring will arrive early. In 2024, an early spring was predicted.

While the tradition remains popular in the 21st century, studies have found no consistent association between a groundhog seeing its shadow and the subsequent arrival time of spring-like weather.

The weather lore was brought from German-speaking areas where the badger (German: Dachs) is the forecasting animal. It is related to the lore that clear weather on the Christian festival of Candlemas forebodes a prolonged winter.

The Groundhog Day ceremony held at Punxsutawney in western Pennsylvania, centering on a semi-mythical groundhog named Punxsutawney Phil, has become the most frequently attended ceremony. Grundsow Lodges in Pennsylvania Dutch Country in the southeastern part of the state observe the occasion as well. Other cities in the United States and Canada also have adopted the event.

The Pennsylvania Dutch were immigrants from German-speaking areas of Europe. The Germans had a tradition of marking Candlemas (February 2) as "Badger Day" ( Dachstag), on which if a badger emerging from its den encountered a sunny day, thereby casting a shadow, it heralded four more weeks of winter.

Candlemas is a Western Christian festival observed in the Roman Catholic and Lutheran churches. In folk religion, various traditions superstitions continue to be linked with the holiday, although this was discouraged by the Reformed Churches in the 16th century. Notably, several traditions that are part of weather lore use the weather at Candlemas to predict the start of spring.

The weather-predicting animal on Candlemas was usually the badger, although regionally, the animal was the bear or the fox. The original weather-predicting animal in Germany had been the bear, another hibernating mammal, but when they grew scarce, the lore became altered.

Similarity to the groundhog lore has been noted for the German formula: Sonnt sich der Dachs in der Lichtmeßwoche, so geht er auf vier Wochen wieder zu Loche ("If the badger sunbathes during Candlemas-week, for four more weeks he will be back in his hole"). A slight variant is found in a collection of weather lore (Bauernregeln, lit. "farmers' rules") printed in Austria in 1823.

The Pennsylvanians maintained the same tradition as the Germans on Groundhog Day, except that winter's spell would be prolonged for six weeks instead of four. For the Pennsylvania Dutch, the badger became the dox, which in Deitsch referred to "groundhog".

The standard term for "groundhog" was grun'daks (from German dachs), with the regional variant in York County being grundsau, a direct translation of the English name, according to a 19th-century book on the dialect. The form was a regional variant according to one 19th-century source. However, the weather superstition that begins Der zwet Hær'ning is Grund'sau dåk. Wânn di grundsau îr schâtte sent... ("February second is Groundhog day. If the groundhog sees its shadow...") is given as common to all fourteen counties in Dutch Pennsylvania Country, in a 1915 monograph.

In The Thomas R. Brendle Collection of Pennsylvania German Folklore, Brendle preserved the following lore from the local Pennsylvania German dialect:

Wann der Dachs sei Schadde seht im Lichtmess Marye, dann geht er widder in's Loch un beleibt noch sechs Woche drin. Wann Lichtmess Marye awwer drieb is, dann bleibt der dachs haus un's watt noch enanner Friehyaahr. (When the groundhog sees his shadow on the morning of Mary Candlemas, he will again go into his hole and remain there for six weeks. But if the morning of Mary Candlemas is overcast, the groundhog will remain outside and there will be another spring.)

The form grundsow has been used by the lodge in Allentown and elsewhere. Brendle also recorded the name "Grundsaudag" (Groundhog day in Lebanon County) and "Daxdaag" (Groundhog day in Northampton County).

Victor Hugo, in "Les Misérables", (1864) discusses the day as follows:

"...it was the second of February, that ancient Candlemas-day whose treacherous sun, the precursor of six weeks of cold, inspired Matthew Laensberg with the two lines, which have deservedly become classic:

'Qu'il luise ou qu'il luiserne, L'ours rentre en sa caverne.'

(Let it gleam or let it glimmer, The bear goes back into his cave.)"

- Hugo, Victor. "Les Misérables." Trans. Fahnestock and MacAfee, based on Wilbour. Signet Classics, NY, 1987. p. 725.

The groundhog was once also known by the obsolete Latin alias Arctomys monax. The genus name signified "bear-rat". The European marmot is of the same genus and was formerly called Arctomys alpinus. It was speculated that the European counterpart might have lore similar to the groundhog attached to it.

The German version, with the introduction of the badger (or other beasts), was an expansion of a simpler tradition that if the weather was sunny and clear on Candlemas Day, people expected winter to continue. The simpler version is summarized in the English ( Scots dialect) couplet that runs "If Candlemas is fair and clear / There'll be twa winters in the year", with equivalent phrases in French and German. And the existence of a corresponding Latin couplet has been suggested as evidence of the great antiquity of this tradition.

There did exist a belief among Roman Catholics in Britain that the hedgehog predicted the length of winter, or so it has been claimed, but without demonstration of its age, in a publication by the Scotland-born American journalist Thomas C. MacMillan in 1886, and American writer/journalist Samuel Adams Drake's book published in 1900.

In the Gaelic calendar of Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of Man, Brigid's Day (February 1) is a day for predicting the weather. While in Scotland the animal that heralds spring on this day is a snake, and on the Isle of Man a large bird, in Ireland folklorist Kevin Danaher records lore of hedgehogs being observed for this omen:

In Irish folk tradition St. Brighid's Day, 1 February, is the first day of Spring, and thus of the farmer's year. ... To see a hedgehog was a good weather sign, for the hedgehog comes come out of the hole in which he has spent the winter, looks about to judge the weather, and returns to his burrow if bad weather is going to continue. If he stays out, it means that he knows the mild weather is coming.

Additionally, the Roman rite for the goddess Februa had a procession performed on February 2, according to Yoder. The Roman calendar, in turn, had Celtic origins. February 2 concurs with Imbolc, one of the Celtic ' cross-quarter days', the four days which marked the midpoints between solstice and equinox.

The groundhog (Marmota monax) is a hibernating rodent of the family Sciuridae, belonging to the group of large ground squirrels.

The observance of Groundhog Day in the United States first occurred in German communities in Pennsylvania, according to known records. The earliest mention of Groundhog Day is an entry on February 2, 1840, in the diary of James L. Morris of Morgantown, in Pennsylvania Dutch Country, according to the book on the subject by Don Yoder. This was a Welsh enclave but the diarist was commenting on his neighbors who were of German stock.

The first reported news of a Groundhog Day observance was arguably made by the Punxsutawney Spirit newspaper of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, in 1886: "up to the time of going to press, the beast has not seen its shadow". However, it was not until the following year in 1887 that the first Groundhog Day considered "official" was commemorated there, with a group making a trip to the Gobbler's Knob part of town to consult the groundhog. People have gathered annually at the spot for the event ever since.

Clymer Freas (1867-1942) who was city editor at the Punxsutawney Spirit is credited as the "father" who conceived the idea of "Groundhog Day". It has also been suggested that Punxsutawney was where all the Groundhog Day events originated, from where it spread to other parts of the United States and Canada.

The chronologies given are somewhat inconsistent in the literature. The first "Groundhog Picnic" was held in 1887 according to one source, but given as post-circa-1889 by a local historian in a journal. The historian states that around 1889 the meat was served in the lodge's banquet, and the organized hunt started after that.

Either way, the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club was formed in 1899, and continued the hunt and "Groundhog Feast", which took place annually in September. The "hunt" portion of it became increasingly a ritualized formality, because the practical procurement of meat had to occur well ahead of time for marinating. A drink called the "groundhog punch" was also served. The flavor has been described as a "cross between pork and chicken". The hunt and feast did not attract enough outside interest, and the practice was discontinued.

Groundhog Day, Punxsutawney, 2013

The largest Groundhog Day celebration is held in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, where crowds as large as 40,000 gather each year, nearly eight times the year-round population of the town which is 5,769 as of 2020. The average draw had been about 2,000 until the 1993 film Groundhog Day, which is set at the festivities in Punxsutawney, after which attendance rose to about 10,000.

The official Phil is pretended to be a supercentenarian, having been the same forecasting beast since 1887. For the past several years, the event has been live streamed, allowing more people than ever to watch the animal meteorologist.

In 2019, for the 133rd year of the tradition, the groundhog was summoned to come out at 7:25 am on February 2, but did not see its shadow. Fans of Punxsutawney Phil awaited his arrival starting at 6:00 am, thanks to a live stream provided by Visit Pennsylvania.

2021 was the 135th celebration, and for the first time, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the ceremony was held behind closed doors, with no fans allowed to attend and most of the Inner Circle members being required to wear a mask, including Phill. The groundhog was summoned at 7:25 am on February 2 and saw its shadow.

2022 saw the 136th celebration of the normal in-person event and the groundhog saw its shadow, predicting six more weeks of winter.

In 2023, during the 137th prognostication event, the groundhog once again saw its shadow, calling for six more weeks of winter.

In 2024, during the 138th and most recent prognostication event, the groundhog did not see its shadow, calling for an early Spring. This has only happened 20 times in the celebration's recorded history: 1902, 1934, 1942, 1950, 1970, 1975, 1983, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2007, 2011, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2020, and 2024.

The Slumbering Groundhog Lodge, which was formed in 1907, has carried out the ceremonies that take place in Quarryville, Pennsylvania. It used to be a contending rival to Punxsutawney over the Groundhog Day fame. It employs a taxidermic specimen (stuffed woodchuck).

In Southeastern Pennsylvania, Groundhog Lodges ( Grundsow Lodges) celebrate the holiday with fersommlinge, social events in which food is served, speeches are made, and one or more g'spiel (plays or skits) are performed for entertainment. The Pennsylvania German dialect is the only language spoken at the event, and those who speak English pay a penalty, usually in the form of a nickel, dime, or quarter per word spoken, with the money put into a bowl in the center of the table.

In Milltown, New Jersey, Milltown Mel was purchased in 2008 in Sunbury, Pennsylvania, by Jerry and Cathy Guthlein, and lived in a cage in the Guthleins' back yard. Mel's first event was at the family business, the Bronson and Guthlein Funeral Home, with later events moved to the American Legion Post, with free coffee and doughnuts served afterwards. Mel died in 2021.)

Stonewall Jackson predicts at Space Farms Zoo and Museum.

Essex Ed the groundhog and Otis the Hedgehog predict at Turtle Back Zoo.

"Malverne Mel" is the groundhog of Malverne, in Long Island, New York. Mel began his position in 1996.

Great Neck Greta, of Great Neck, Long Island, New York, predicted in 2020.

Staten Island Chuck is the stage name for the official weather-forecasting woodchuck for New York City, housed in the Staten Island Zoo. In 2009, Chuck bit then-NYC-Mayor Mike Bloomberg, prompting zoo officials to quietly replace him with his daughter Charlotte. In 2014, NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio, famously dropped Charlotte during the ceremony, visibly disturbing many of the children present for the event. Charlotte's untimely death a week later prompted rumors she was killed by the fall, although the zoo later said this was unlikely to be the cause of Charlotte's demise. As a result, Bill de Blasio did not participate in the tradition thereafter.

Dunkirk Dave (a stage name for numerous groundhogs that have filled the role since 1960) is the local groundhog for Western New York, handled by Bob Will, a typewriter repairman who runs a rescue shelter for groundhogs. Will is adamant that Dunkirk Dave does not actually predict the date of spring because that is fixed by calendars, but instead predicts the harshness of the remainder of winter.

French Creek Freddie is West Virginia's resident groundhog meteorologist. A resident of the West Virginia State Wildlife Center in French Creek, West Virginia, Freddie made his debut in 1978, and boasts an accuracy rate of approximately 50%. On Groundhog Day, 2022, Freddie predicted six more weeks of winter, with the mayor of Buckhannon and members of the community in attendance.

Holtsville Hal resides at the Holtsville Ecology Site and Animal Preserve in Holtsville, NY. He predicts the weather for Suffolk County, NY, in front of hundreds of residents each Groundhog Day.

In the Midwest, Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, is the self-proclaimed "Groundhog Capital of the World". This title taken in response to the Punxsutawney Spirit's 1952 newspaper article describing Sun Prairie as a "remote two cow village buried somewhere in the wilderness..." In 2015, Jimmy the Groundhog bit the ear of Mayor Jon Freund and the story quickly went viral worldwide. The next day a mayoral proclamation absolved Jimmy XI of any wrongdoing.

Buckeye Chuck, Ohio's official State Groundhog, is one of two weather-predicting groundhogs. He resides in Marion, Ohio.[citation needed ]

Woodstock Willie, in Woodstock, Illinois, the shooting location for the 1993 film Groundhog Day.

Concord Casimir, while not a groundhog, is a weather-predicting cat whose forecast is based on how he eats his annual pierogi meal. He resides in Concord, Ohio, on the outskirts of Cleveland.

In Washington, D.C., the Dupont Circle Groundhog Day event features Potomac Phil, another taxidermic specimen. From his first appearance in 2012 to 2018, Phil's spring predictions invariably agreed with those of the more lively Punxsutawney Phil, who made his predictions half an hour earlier. In addition, Phil always predicted correctly six more months of political gridlock. However, after being accused of collusion in 2018, Potomac Phil contradicted Punxsutawney Phil in 2019, and further, predicted two more years of political insanity.

Birmingham Bill, at Birmingham Zoo, was "taking a break" from predicting in 2015.

In Raleigh, North Carolina, an annual event at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences included Sir Walter Wally. According to museum officials, Wally had been correct 58% of the time vs. Punxsutawney Phil's 39%. Sir Walter Wally retired after 2022 leaving Snerd of Garner as the only weather-predicting groundhog in the state.

Elsewhere in the American South, the General Beauregard Lee makes predictions from Lilburn, Georgia (later Butts County, Georgia). The University of Dallas in Irving, Texas has boasted of hosting the second largest Groundhog celebration in the world.

Shubenacadie Sam makes the winter prediction at Nova Scotia's Shubenacadie Wildlife Park, 2024

The day is observed with various ceremonies at other locations in North America beyond the United States.

In Nova Scotia, Groundhog Day traditions arrived with German Foreign Protestant immigrants in the 1750s where it was known as "Daks Day" (from the German dachs) in the German dialect of Lunenburg County settlers.) Due to Nova Scotia'sDue to Nova Scotia's Atlantic Time Zone, the province's official groundhog, Shubenacadie Sam makes the first Groundhog Day prediction in North America, a tradition at Nova Scotia's Shubenacadie Wildlife Park since 1987.

In French Canada, where the day is known as Jour de la marmotte, Fred la marmotte of Val-d'Espoir was the representative forecaster for the province of Quebec from 2009 until his death in 2023. A study also shows that in Quebec, the marmot and groundhog ( siffleux) are regarded as Candlemas weather-predicting beasts in some scattered spots, but the bear is the more usual animal.

Balzac Billy is the "Prairie Prognosticator", a man-sized groundhog mascot who prognosticates weather on Groundhog Day from Balzac, Alberta.

Punxsutawney Phil's statistics are kept by the Pennsylvania's Groundhog Club which cares for the animal. Phil has predicted 106 forecasts for winter and 21 for an early spring. One year he had a partial shadow, in 1942. There were 10 years when Phil's prediction was not recorded, all of which occurred in the 1880s and 1890s. There has been one year when the event was canceled (1943) due to World War II.

Most assessments of Phil's accuracy have given an accuracy lower than would be expected with random chance. Stormfax Almanac gives Phil an estimate of 39% accuracy. Meteorologist Tim Roche of Weather Underground gives Phil an 36% accuracy rate between 1969 and 2016, a range chosen because local weather data was most reliable from 1969 onward, and a 47% accuracy record in that time span when predicting early spring. The National Centers for Environmental Information, using a basic metric of above-normal temperatures for early spring and below-normal temperatures for more winter, placed Punxsutawney Phil's accuracy at 40% for the ten-year period preceding 2019.

The Farmer's Almanac, which itself has been known for forecasts of questionable accuracy, gives an assessment of "exactly 50 percent" accuracy. The National Geographic Society reports a 28% success rate. A Middlebury College team found that Phil's long-term analysis of temperature high/low predictions were 70% accurate, although when the groundhog predicted early spring it was usually wrong. Canadian meteorologist Cindy Day has estimated that Nova Scotia's " Shubenacadie Sam" has an accuracy rate of about 45%, compared to 25% for Wiarton Willy in Ontario.

Prediction based on an animal's behavior used to be given more credence in the past, when stores of food became scarce as winter progressed.

One theory states that the groundhog naturally comes out of hibernation in central Pennsylvania in early February because of the increasing average temperature. Under this theory, if German settlement had been centered further north, Groundhog Day would take place at a later date. However, the observed behavior of groundhogs in central New Jersey was that they mostly come out of their burrows in mid-March, regardless of Groundhog Day weather.

There are several different ways of defining when spring begins. By some common methods of doing so, the first day of spring is around March 20, which is always just under seven weeks after February 2, even in leap years. The idea of "spring arriving early" is a highly subjective notion which could arguably refer to almost anything, from several days to several weeks.[citation needed ]

In Croatia and Serbia, Orthodox Christians have a tradition that on February 2 (Candlemas) or February 15 ( Sretenje, The Meeting of the Lord), the bear will awaken from winter dormancy, and if it sees (meets) its own shadow in this sleepy and confused state, it will get scared and go back to sleep for an additional 40 days, thus prolonging the winter. Thus, if it is sunny on Sretenje, it is a sign that the winter is not over yet. If it is cloudy, it is a good sign that the winter is about to end.

Similarly in Germany, on the June 27, they recognize the Seven Sleepers' Day ( Siebenschläfertag). If it rains that day, the rest of summer is supposedly going to be rainy. As well, in the United Kingdom, July 15 is known as St. Swithin's day. It was traditionally believed that, if it rained on that day, it would rain for the next 40 days and nights.

The holiday gained more prominence, particularly internationally, with the release of the 1993 comedy film Groundhog Day with Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell. The film became the 13th highest grossing of the year, with over $70 million at the box office. Over time, the film became a cult classic and significantly increased awareness and attendance at Groundhog Day events.

In addition to the classic Groundhog Day, more movies have been subsequently released following the concept of a time loop, where the main character(s) are trapped in the same day. From Happy Death Day, where a college student relives her death until she discovers who her killer is, starring Jessica Rothe, Israel Broussard, and Ruby Modine, to The Map of Tiny Perfect Things, where two kids attempt to find every 'perfect' part of the day they relive, starring Kathryn Newton and Kyle Allen.

The holiday's origins also plays a prominent role in the 1979 Rankin/Bass holiday special , where groundhog prognosticator Pardon-Me Pete's shadow is actually manipulated by Jack Frost, initially so Jack could buy more time to use his wintery magic to protect January Junction from the villain, but over the years since, has become a proper agreement between the two to give Jack more time for wintery fun in exchange for Pete getting extra hibernation time.[citation needed ]

Davis, Christopher R. (April 1985), "Totemism and Civic Boosterism in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, 1899-1909", The Western Pennsylvania Historical Magazine, 68 (2), archived from the original on December 24, 2017

Yoder, Don (2003). Groundhog Day. Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania: Stackpole Books. ISBN 0811700291. OCLC 52542605. Archived from the original on August 3, 2020.

Old, W. C., and P. Billin-Frye (2004). The Groundhog Day Book of Facts and Fun. Morton Grove, IL: Albert Whitman.

Pulling, A. F. (2001). Around Punxsutawney. Charleston, S.C.: Arcadia.

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Groundhog Day ( Pennsylvania German: Grund'sau dåk, Grundsaudaag, Grundsow Dawg, Murmeltiertag; Nova Scotia: Daks Day) is a tradition observed regionally in the United States and Canada on February 2 of every year.

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https://www.npr.org/2021/02/02/963224423/at-virtual-groundhog-day-ceremony-punxsutawney-phil-predicts-6-more-weeks-of-win

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https://news.sky.com/story/groundhog-day-punxsutawney-phil-predicts-six-more-weeks-of-winter-as-fans-follow-ceremony-online-12206694

https://weather.com/news/news/2021-02-01-groundhog-day-punxsutawney-phil-shadow-prediction

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Each year groundhogs enjoy 15 minutes of fame-and then most people proceed to forget about them completely. Held every year on February 2, Groundhog Day is a unique U.S. celebration in which people turn to these mammals to predict the weather: If the groundhog sees its shadow on that day, lore has it there will be six more weeks of winter. But what else is there to know about these annual celebrities? Here are some little-known facts.

They're related to squirrels.

Groundhogs ( Marmota monax) are a type of rodent known as a marmot, and marmots are closely related to squirrels. "They are giant ground squirrels is what they are," says Richard Thorington, curator of mammals at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C.

What's more, groundhogs have an extensive range and can be found all over North America.

"[Groundhogs are] the most widely distributed marmot of all of them, [with a range stretching] as far south as northern Alabama to northern Canada-and some are even found in Alaska," says Stam Zervanos, retired professor of biology at Pennsylvania State University in Reading, who's conducted extensive research on groundhogs.

They're filling in for hedgehogs.

While the reported origins of Groundhog Day are many, the concept is thought to be linked to the Germanic tradition of Candlemas Day, a Christian feast day. According to the folklore, a sunny Candlemas Day means a longer winter. In Europe, however, the animal used was generally a hedgehog or a badger. How it wound up being the groundhog's responsibility in the U.S. may have been a bit of a fluke.

"When the Europeans came over here, they didn't have any hedgehogs or badgers to lay the blame on, so I think the groundhog got it by being here and being a good size," speculates Thorington. "He became the one to prophesize whether winter would come or not."

There's a movement to replace them with robots.

Some animal rights groups have long taken issue with Groundhog Day, arguing that these shy animals should not be put on display or interrupted from their natural hibernation cycle. Now, PETA is arguing to replace groundhogs with robot groundhogs equipped with artificial intelligence that detects shadows.

'Woodchuck' has nothing to do with wood.

Groundhogs have many colorful names, including "whistle-pig" for their tendency to emit short, high-pitched whistles. They're also known as land beavers, but their most famous nickname is woodchuck.

Surprisingly, the name woodchuck doesn't have anything to do with wood. It's thought to be a corruption of the Native American words wejack, woodshaw, or woodchoock. It may have its roots in the Algonquian (or perhaps Narragansett) name for the animal: wuchak.

Other sources claim it's a bastardization of the Cree word otchek for "fisher" or the Ojibwe ojiig, also for "fisher" or "marten," which Europeans appropriated and misapplied to the groundhog.

So how much wood could a woodchuck chuck? None, apparently.

They build impressive homes.

A groundhog's burrow can be anywhere from eight to 66 feet long, with multiple exits and a number of chambers.

There can be several levels to their burrows, says Zervanos. "They have a burrow for hibernating, and then they have another section of the burrow that's more like their summer home where they can come out more easily."

Their burrows even have separate rooms for defecation-otherwise known as bathrooms.

In some cases, groundhogs have more than one residence and move from one burrow to another.

Farmers consider them pests.

Those impressive tunneling skills make for great burrows, but they can also mean big headaches for those who work in agriculture.

"They dig fairly extensive burrows, and tractors can break an axle [driving over them]," says Zervanos.

And since the animals are herbivores-and prefer tender, young greens-they can make nuisances of themselves by raiding crops.

Soybeans, corn, family gardens-it's all a banquet in the eyes of a groundhog. But some can be more discerning.

"They're selective," says the Smithsonian's Thorington. "They'll go for your best cabbages and best foods that you have out there."

They're loners.

Unlike some of their cousins, such as prairie dogs, groundhogs are basically loners, seeking out their own kind only to mate. (See " Video: Why do prairie dogs do 'the wave?'")

"They're pretty solitary for most of the year, so the male has no clue where the female is most of the year except when they're ready to mate," says Penn State's Zervanos.

Even their maternal duty to their young is short and sweet.

"The mother nurses the young, and then shortly after they're weaned, they tend to go off on their own. [They're] about as asocial as you can get," says Thorington.

When they sleep, they really sleep.

Groundhogs are known as "true hibernators," going into a dormant state-in which their body temperature and heart rate fall dramatically-from late fall until late winter or early spring.

"True hibernators are the ones that can reduce their body temp below 20 degrees Celsius [68 degrees Fahrenheit]," says Zervanos. "Bears, for example, only drop their body temp to 30 degrees from 37 degrees Celsius [86 from 98.7 degrees Fahrenheit].

"Any of the true hibernators can [also] reduce their heart rate down to about five beats a minute, and their body temperature can go as low as [41 degrees Fahrenheit]," he adds.

But Zervanos, who's studied groundhog hibernation extensively, points out that hibernation isn't as cut and dried a process as people think.

"Hibernation is not a deep sleep that continues for the entire winter," explains Zervanos. Instead, groundhogs go through bouts of "torpor," when their body temperature drops to about five degrees Celsius, he says. They'll do this for about a week, then wake up for three or four days, then go back into torpor.

"They do this about 12 to 20 times in the hibernation season," says Zervanos.

But they wake up early for love.

Groundhogs hibernate from late fall for roughly three months, then wake up when it's still quite cold.

But it turns out they have a very good reason to drag themselves out of bed. There's evidence that male groundhogs wake up early to get a head start on reproduction.

"The males come out and start to prepare for the mating season," says Zervanos, which involves surveying their turf and making house-calls to female burrows as early as February.

"Typically, there's a male that has a territory that includes several female burrows. And there's some competition for that territory," he explains. "They try to defend that territory, and they go from burrow to burrow to find out if that female is still there."

Having determined where his potential mates are, the male then returns to his burrow to sleep for another month or so until early March when it's time to mate.

They have great timing.

Groundhogs display an uncanny knack for good timing.

Groundhogs have to know just when to emerge from hibernation to mate so that their offspring will have the best chance of survival.

"Most matings happen in a ten-day period in early March," says Zervanos. "If [the offspring] are born too late, they can't get enough weight for winter, and if they're born too early, the female doesn't have enough food to feed them."

In other words, the window of opportunity is very small and the wily woodchuck has to get it just right. With those instincts, perhaps it's appropriate to entrust predictions for the duration of winter to the humble groundhogs.
Follow Stefan Sirucek on Twitter.
This story has been updated. It was originally published on January 31, 2014.

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10 facts you didn't know about groundhogs

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Each year groundhogs enjoy 15 minutes of fame-and then most people proceed to forget about them completely. Held every year on February 2, Groundhog Day is a unique U.S. celebration in which people turn to these mammals to predict the weather: If the groundhog sees its shadow on that day, lore has it there will be six more weeks of winter.