YORK, Pa. — We can expect six more weeks of winter according to Punxsutawney Phil and the Groundhog Day tradition.
The legend states that if Punxsutawney Phil comes out of hibernation and sees his shadow, we can expect six more weeks of winter, if not, then spring is just around the corner.
This morning at 7:25 a.m., members of the Inner Circle of the Punxsutawney Phil Groundhog Club announced that the loveable groundhog saw his shadow.
Although many people partake in the tradition that can be traced back as far as 1841, statistics show that in most cases, Punxsutawney Phil is wrong.
USA Today reported that in the last 31 years, Punxsutawney Phil has only been right 14 times.
Although Punxsutawney Phil is the most popular groundhog on the traditional holiday, he is not the only one. Many communities throughout the United States and Canada celebrate the day with their own local rodent meteorologists such as Buckeye Chuck in Ohio and Dunkirk Dave in New York.
In some cases, the furry weather forecasters have different opinions on what the weather has in store for us.
Groundhog Day History and Lore
This traditional holiday is traced back as far as 1841. The old Pennsylvania German lore said that the Groundhog would come out from his Winter slumber to check the weather. If he saw his shadow, he would retreat to his hibernation for another six weeks. If he did not see his shadow, the groundhog would then scurry about. Over the years, faithful followers have upheld the tradition and still gather regularly every 2nd of February to watch the Groundhog come out from his home.
