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Groundhog Day 2024: Did Phil see his shadow?
According to tradition, Phil the groundhog comes out of his burrow and if he sees his shadow, winter will last another six weeks. If he doesn't see his shadow, then we will have an early spring.
It's official: spring is just around the corner.
Phil didn't see his shadow on Friday morning at Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, as part of the annual Groundhog Day tradition celebrated in the United States and Canada. This means that, according to legend, an early spring awaits us.
This is the first time since 2020 that Phil has predicted an early spring, and the 21st time since records have been kept.
Looking at the historical data, Punxsutawney Phil has seen his shadow more often than he hasn't. By 2024, the groundhog had seen his shadow 107 times and not seen it 20 times, according to the York Daily Record, part of the USA TODAY Network. There were a few years in the late 1800s when there was no record of its prediction, and 1943 was the only year it did not appear.
The Groundhog Day tradition goes back to ancient European beliefs related to hedgehogs and badgers. It was believed that if these animals came out of their burrows in early February and saw their shadow, winter would last for a long time.
Groundhog Day is not only a fun holiday, but also an opportunity to make a weather forecast for the next six weeks. Of course, you shouldn't take this forecast too seriously, because it doesn't always come true. Nevertheless, Groundhog Day is a great excuse to get together with friends and family, have a laugh, and watch Phil the Groundhog make his forecast.
Here are some interesting facts about Groundhog Day:
- The Groundhog Day tradition has been around for over 130 years.
- Phil the Groundhog hasn't been the same groundhog for all these years. In fact, this is the 135th Phil the Groundhog.
- Groundhog Day is one of the most popular winter holidays in the United States.
- Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, is known as the "Groundhog Capital of the World".
