Punxsutawney Phil woke up on Sunday and saw his shadow, meaning we are destined for six more weeks of winter, according to legend.
Legend has it that if Punxsutawney Phil, perhaps the world’s most famous groundhog, sees his shadow, winter will last another six weeks, but if he doesn’t, spring will arrive early.
The weather in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, during the announcement was partly cloudy, with temperatures hovering around 20 degrees Fahrenheit. Snow was expected later Sunday.
Phil’s actual prediction, on the other hand, occurs ahead of time on a small hill just outside of town known as Gobbler’s Knob, and has done so every year since 1887. According to the Pennsylvania Tourism Office, this year is the 139th time the event has occurred.
The men in top hats surrounding Phil during the ceremony are from the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club Inner Circle. According to their website, their mission is to “protect and perpetuate the legend of the great weather-predicting groundhog Punxsutawney Phil.”
Phil’s predictions have been relatively consistent over the last decade or so. Between 2015 and 2020, the groundhog predicted a longer winter and an earlier spring three times. However, the Associated Press reports that Phil has predicted six more weeks of winter over 100 times since 1887.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Punxsutawney Phil has predicted six more weeks of winter 107 times and an early spring only 21 times, with no record of ten of those years since 1887.
Finally, Punxsutawney Phil’s “predictions” should be taken with a grain of salt.
Punxsutawney Phil’s weather predictions were less accurate than flipping a coin over the course of 10 years, from 2013 to 2022. He was correct four times during that time period (2020, 2016, 2014, and 2013), but incorrect six times.