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Groundhog sees shadow, predicts six more weeks of winter

Punxsutawney Phil is said to be predicting six more weeks of wintry weather after he saw his shadow Monday.

His 140th annual prediction was translated by his handlers at Gobbler’s Knob in western Pennsylvania.

The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club says that when Phil is deemed to have not seen his shadow, that means there will be an early spring. When he does see it, it’s six more weeks of winter.

Phil tends to predict a longer winter far more often than an early spring.

Tens of thousands of people were on hand at Gobbler’s Knob for the annual ritual that goes back more than a century, with ties to ancient farming traditions in Europe. Punxsutawney’s festivities have grown considerably since the 1993 movie “Groundhog Day,” starring Bill Murray.

Icy temperatures kept the crowd bundled up. The crowd and performers danced to tunes such as “Shout” And “Sunday Finest” in the cold weather. It was 2 degrees out, according to the National Weather Service.

Dance music and probably a desire to stay warm kept people on the main stage dancing — including a cold looking beauty queen.

The Groundhog Day traditions include festive hats —and on Monday they were helping stave off the brutal cold.

Phil isn’t the only animal being consulted for long-term weather forecasts Monday. There are formal and informal Groundhog Day events in many places in the U.S., Canada and beyond.

Groundhog Day falls on Feb. 2, the midpoint between the shortest, darkest day of the year on the winter solstice and the spring equinox. 


(AP Photos Barry Reeger)
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