Groundhog Day 2025: Six More Weeks Of Winter?

"If ground-hog day was bright and fair,
The beast came forth, but not to stay;
His shadow turned him to his lair.
Where six weeks more, he dormant lay..."
-H.L. Fisher
 Excerpt from, "Popular Superstitions", Olden Times:
Pennsylvania Rural Life, Some Fifty Year Ago
and Other Poems.
(1888)

Punxsutawney Phil

Image courtesy/Public Domain Pictures

Thousands of spectators braved the freezing predawn temperatures in
 western Pennsylvania this morning, eagerly awaiting the world's most
 famous groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil to emerge from his home
 for this year's annual Groundhog Day weather prediction.

As sunrise spilled across Gobbler's Knob, the crowd began chanting,
"Phil!, Phil!, Phil!" while top hat wearing members of the Groundhog 
Club Inner Circle gathered around the animal's tree trunk home.

  Inner Circle President Tom Dunkel used a wooden cane to knock on
the door and moments later, the groundhog was brought out and held
up to the sky.  As the cheering crowd watched, Phil saw his famous
shadow, which according to legend, indicates six more weeks of winter.

"There's a shadow up here...get ready for six more weeks of winter this year!"
 announced Inner Circle Vice President Dan "Moonshine" McGinley  as he
 read from a scroll containing the groundhog's message. 

 While this remains to be seen, his declaration set off another round of cheers
as well as some loud booing from the watching crowd.

The world's most famous groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, saw his shadow this morning,

 which according to legend, means six more weeks of winter weather.
Photograph courtesy/Nate Smallwood NPR