Are we ready for a long winter? Punxsutawney Phil’s prediction has arrived and hopefully, he’s right.
Thousands of people gathered to watch Phil’s prediction on Groundhog Day in the city of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. Before the big day Famous groundhogs Punxsutawney Phil and Gobbler Knob were getting ready for their big day on the first Friday in February this year.
Punxsutawney Phil will take a look around and if he sees his shadow we may have six more weeks of winter, but if he doesn’t we may see spring a little earlier.
Here’s when it is and how we celebrated Groundhog Day.
When does spring officially start? It may feel like it but the first day of spring is still a few weeks away
Meteorologist vs Phil: Will spring come early? Meteorologists have a realistic forecast on Groundhog Day.
When is Groundhog Day 2024?
Groundhog Day is on Friday, February 2, 2024.
It may not be a federal holiday, but people across America flock to see if Phil, or their own local groundhog celebrity, sees their shadow on the same day, February 2nd, every year. If he sees his shadow, it predicts six more weeks of winter. If it doesn’t, it’s forecast for early spring.
“Phil! Phil! Phil!” Chants filled the air in Pennsylvania on Friday, February 2, 2024, minutes before the groundhog came to light, predicting whether we would see six more weeks of winter or an early spring.
Punxsutawney Phil cheered as he predicted an early spring for us.
What is Groundhog Day?
In the American tradition of Groundhog Day, the country’s most famous groundhog takes a stance on the coming season.
The biggest celebration takes place in Pennsylvania. Every year in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, Gobbler’s Knob becomes a hub of activity for people wondering if winter is going to last a few more weeks. The festival is free and spectators can enter the arena starting at 3 p.m. ET. Punxsutawney Groundhog Club celebrates with talent show, banquet and demonstrations, And later, Prediction.
When was Groundhog Day first celebrated?
According to History.com, the first Groundhog Day was celebrated on February 2, 1887, in Punxsutawney, Penn.
This tradition has its roots in the ancient Christian tradition of Candlemas, when clergy would bless and distribute candles needed for winter. The candles represented how long and cold the winter would be.
Groundhog Day: Punxsutawney Phil almost always predicts it
According to Groundhog Day legend, if Phil sees his shadow winter will last six weeks, but if he doesn’t then early spring will come.
The Germans added to the tradition by selecting an animal to help predict the weather. But it was not the groundhog used now, it was the hedgehog. After coming to America, German settlers in Pennsylvania continued the tradition and switched from hedgehogs to groundhogs, which were abundant in the state.
How often is Punxsutawney Phil right?
Well, while groundhog predictions provide a lot of enjoyment, they are rarely correct.
According to the StormFax Weather Almanac, Punxsutawney Phil has been perfect 39% of the time since the tradition began in 1887. Phil has seen his shadow the most times, predicting a long winter 107 (84%) times. USA Today compiled all of their results since 1887:
- Shadows Seen (Six More Weeks of Winter): 107
- No shadow (early spring): 19
- Partial shade: 1
- No record: 10
- Did not appear: 1
