Happy Groundhog Day! Six more weeks of winter

If it is sunny, he will see his shadow and retreat back inside – and winter will linger on for another six weeks.

February 2nd is Groundhog day, the day that Punxsutawney Phil comes out of his burrow in Gobblers Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania and we find out if winter will continue. If Phil doesn’t see his shadow, and early spring can be expected.

Phil’s prediction came, as it does each year, with the cajoling of the top-hat-clad members of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club’s Inner Circle.

Groundhog Day is one of the more unusual American traditions.

Based on previous performance, Phil’s prediction will not actually eventuate; despite the pomp and circumstance, he has failed most of his attempts at scrying the future.

Punxsutawney (puhnk-suh-TAW’-nee) Phil’s handlers announced Friday the weather prognosticator saw his shadow. Since 1988, the groundhog was “right” 14 times and “wrong” 16 times. There are nine years that weren’t reported.

Would you believe an animal’s prediction for the weather?

They attribute Phil’s freakishly long lifespan to him drinking a sip of a secret “elixir of life” every summer at a Groundhog Picnic.

The town of Punxsutawney has been holding the annual event since the 1880s, according to The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, which organizes and livestreams the event each year.

Groundhog Day: to shadow or not to shadow? It was the first time the weather guru rodent was celebrated at Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. It’s the third consecutive year that Chuck has predicted an extended period of wintry weather.

Let’s take that a step further.

According to Almanac.com, “Candlemas acquired its English name from the candles lit that day in churches to celebrate the presentation of the Christ Child in the temple of Jerusalem”.

How did the tradition in Punxsutawney become so popular?

Groundhog Day dates back to 1887.

If you are just a tad suspicious of these claims, not to mention the credentials of a rodent, we found out just how accurate he really is.