Every year, people flock to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania to witness Punxsutawney Phil’s forecast on Groundhog Day, eager to know if winter will continue or if spring is near. The tradition of predicting the weather based on a groundhog seeing its shadow dates back centuries and was brought to the U.S. by European settlers. Groundhog Day now takes place on February 2nd and revolves around Phil’s prediction at Gobbler’s Knob. If Phil sees his shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter, but if he doesn’t, an early spring is on its way.
The first official pilgrimage to witness Phil’s prediction occurred in 1887, but the practice was acknowledged by a local newspaper the year before. Groundhog Day has roots in the Christian holiday of Candlemas and pre-Christian Celtic celebrations. The tradition of using a groundhog to predict the weather stems from the settlers of the new world relying on the animal in the absence of hedgehogs.
This year, Phil will make his prediction to a sold-out crowd as usual, and his forecast will be live-streamed on Visit Pennsylvania’s website starting at 4 a.m. ET on Groundhog Day. If you’re curious about Phil’s forecast for the coming weeks, be sure to tune in to see if he sees his shadow or not after 7 a.m. on Sunday morning.
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