Groundhog Day 2024: Punxsutawney Phil predicts an early spring is on the way
- Just after sunrise, Punxsutawney Phil predicted an early spring after emerging from his den
- Large crowds gathered at the event and watched musical performances and fireworks as they waited for Phil’s appearance
- A federal agency looked at his data last year and estimated his accuracy at about 40%
Punxsutawney Phil has predicted an early spring is coming during the country’s largest and most famous Groundhog Day celebration.
Just after sunrise, Punxsutawney Phil stepped out of his den during the annual celebration at Gobbler’s Knob, Pennsylvania, and didn’t see his shadow.
The annual event is a tongue-in-cheek ritual in which Phil’s handlers reveal whether the groundhog has seen his shadow – heralding another six weeks of winter weather – or not, heralding early spring-like weather.
About 10,000 people have come to Punxsutawney in recent years, where festivities begin in the dead of night and culminate in the midwinter forecast.
There are more than a dozen active groundhog clubs in Pennsylvania, some dating back to the 1930s, and weather-predicting groundhogs have appeared in at least 28 U.S. states and Canadian provinces.
Just after sunrise, Punxsutawney Phil stepped out of his den during the annual celebration at Gobbler’s Knob, Pennsylvania, and didn’t see his shadow.
The annual event is a tongue-in-cheek ritual in which Phil’s handlers reveal whether the groundhog has seen his shadow — heralding another six weeks of winter weather — or not, heralding early spring-like weather.
A huddled crowd, some wearing groundhog-themed hats, watched musical performances and fireworks as they waited for sunrise and the appearance of Punxsutawney Phil.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro took the stage Friday morning to urge people around the world watching the festivities to come to Punxsutawney next year.
Mr. Shapiro also announced that Phil is the new official meteorologist for Pennsylvania.
“Punxsutawney is the center of the universe right now and I’m excited to have you all here,” Mr. Shapiro said.
Phil is much more likely to predict more winter than early spring, not a bad bet for February and March in western Pennsylvania.
A federal agency looked at his data last year and estimated his accuracy at about 40%.
The tradition of celebrating the midpoint between the shortest day of the year, the winter solstice and the spring equinox, goes back many centuries in European peasant life.
About 10,000 people have come to Punxsutawney in recent years, where festivities begin in the dead of night and culminate in the midwinter forecast.
Unlike other groundhogs, Phil does not hibernate because he lives in a “climate-controlled and light-regulated” den. He can be seen here at last year’s event
The 1993 film Groundhog Day, starring Bill Murray, sparked interest in Punxsutawney Phil and inspired informal observations far and wide.
When he’s not making his annual prediction, Phil lives in a custom space next to the Punxsutawney Memorial Library, with a window where library patrons can view his lair.
In 2009, library officials said Phil had somehow managed to escape three times, by climbing into the library ceiling and falling into offices about 50 feet away. He was not injured.
Unlike other groundhogs, Phil does not hibernate because he lives in a “climate-controlled and light-regulated” den.
The lights and temperature in Phil’s den are constant all year round, and he does not have to forage for food as he is likely cared for by members of the club.
However, in the winter the club did indicate that Phil ‘becomes calmer, eats less and sleeps more.’
When he’s not eating vegetables or spending time with his wife Phyliss, the club stated that Phil “likes to read a good book and read the newspaper.”