Today (Monday, February 2nd) is Groundhog Day and Punxsutawney Phil, the famed weather-predicting groundhog, saw his shadow this (Monday) morning, signaling six more weeks of wintry weather according to tradition. The annual forecast was delivered by Phil’s handlers at Gobbler’s Knob in western Pennsylvania.
According to the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, Phil’s shadow means a longer winter, while no shadow would indicate an early spring. Historically, Phil predicts a prolonged winter more often than an early thaw.
Tens of thousands of people gathered at Gobbler’s Knob for the time-honored ritual, which traces its roots back more than a century to European farming traditions. The event has grown in popularity, especially since the 1993 film “Groundhog Day” starring Bill Murray.
Groundhog Day, observed on February 2nd, marks the midpoint between the winter solstice and spring equinox. Across the U.S., Canada, and other regions, similar Groundhog Day celebrations and weather-predicting animal events took place Monday.