In brief
Every February 2nd, Punxsutawney Phil emerges from his burrow in Pennsylvania to predict whether there will be six more weeks of winter. This year, as always, the anticipation runs high among onlookers, reinforcing a legacy of tradition in the face of evolving climate realities. Phil's forecasts have remained humorously unreliable, boasting only a 35% accuracy rate over the last two decades, yet it symbolizes a cherished community event.
Every 2 February since the late 1880s, people have gathered in the Pennsylvanian town of Punxsutawney to watch a groundhog be pulled out of his burrow and presented to the crowd. Legend has it that if Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow there will be six more weeks of winter; if not, spring is around the corner. According to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Punxsutawney Phil's forecasts have an accuracy rate of about 35% over the past 20 years.
