While many themselves are reemerging from the winter, heading back to work and school, we seem to overlook that today is indeed another holiday. (And no, I don’t mean Super Bowl Sunday).
Since 1887, a groundhog has predicted an early or late winter for the United States. As folklore goes, should he see his shadow we will have another six weeks of winter. If he does not, we can prepare for an early spring.
At dawn this morning, groundhog Punxsutawney Phil did indeed see his shadow. This is a gloomy, but not unexpected, forecast for those in the Eastern US who have already been suffering through a bitter winter.
While many dispute the idea of an animal predicting the onset of spring, [Accuweather] states that Phil “has a tendency to get it right”, with an 80% accuracy rating. Not too shabby, for a groundhog who hasn’t taken a single meteorology course.
While considered the most famous, Punxsutawney Phil is only one in a group of weather predicting groundhogs across the Unites States and Canada. Others include General Beau Lee of Georgia, Chuck of Staten Island and Wiarton Willie of Ontario, Canada.
Photo Courtesy of ABC News 7