Punxsutawney Phil gives his verdict every year on whether it is time for spring to come there will be six more weeks of winter.
- Groundhog Day is being celebrated today, February 2. The yearly event taking place in the US derives from an old Germanic story claiming that each year a groundhog will poke its head out of its den around this time of winter. The tradition has been embraced by North America, where the day is widely celebrated, with the date February 2 having been chosen for being the midpoint of winter.
- On Groundhog Day, the small Pennsylvania town of Punxsutawney takes centre stage. The event was first observed in this town in 1886 and, over the years, it has become deeply entertwined with the tradition. To further cement the town's links with the event, the film Groundhog Day was set and filmed there. The ceremony starts at daybreak at Gobbler’s Knob every February 2. Due to the town's affinity with the tradition, the groundhog taking part in the event is known as Punxsutawney Phil.
- This year marks a significant milestone in the tradition’s history, as it is the 110th time Phil has seen his shadow out of 119 recorded predictions. While Phil is the most famous of them all, there are actually 88 official weather-forecasting groundhogs across the United States and Canada that participate in the annual event.
- Phil's care and the event's planning are managed by the Inner Circle, a group of high-ranking Groundhog Club members recognisable by their top hats and tuxedos. This dedicated team is responsible for feeding the groundhog and ensuring the festivities run smoothly for the thousands of tourists who visit Pennsylvania.
- Despite the excitement surrounding Groundhog Day, experts note that the groundhog isn't always accurate with his forecasts. Data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) indicates that Phil’s predictions have been correct only about 30% of the time over the last decade, making him more of a cultural icon than a reliable meteorologist.
