In a ritual that’s more celebration than science, hundreds of people revived a tradition made famous by the movie “Once Upon a Time” this Friday.
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Phil, the famous rodent meteorologist from Punxsutawney , Pennsylvania, emerged this Friday from the den where he was wintering, saw no shadow of himself and predicted that Americans would have an early spring.
Hundreds of celebrants gathered before dawn on Gobbler’s Knob hill cheered and applauded when, at 07:22 (12:22 GMT), the ritual’s attendants read the message Phil supposedly chose.
“No doubt spring will come early,” said one member of the Groundhog Club , interpreting the animal’s grunt, who seemed surprised and confused.
Since the tradition began in 1887, this is only the twentieth time a groundhog has failed to see its shadow. According to legend, when there is enough sunlight for an animal to see its shadow, there are six weeks until winter arrives.
Although tradition remains strong, Phil’s predictions have a 36% chance of success according to the Stormfax Almanac.
According to the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, a groundhog has seen its shadow 107 times, not seen it 20 times, and there is no data for about 10 years in the late 19th century. In 1942, Phil only partially saw his shadow and did not leave the den again the following year. Between 2013 and 2023, the groundhog predicted an extra six weeks of winter seven times, and of those, he was right only once.
