Punxsutawney Phil Sees Six More Weeks of Winter
Punxsutawney Phil sees six more weeks of winter.
The Punxsutawney, Pa. groundhog made his annual gig as national weatherman and predicted another six weeks of winter after seeing his shadow in a lavish ceremony – part superstition, part spectacle.
The prediction happens annually in the small town just outside Pittsburgh, Pa.
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The ceremony was filled with the usual flair – top hats were donned, crowds were gathered.
The decision, however, was not done live. Phil lip synched – in groundhog speak.
The decision each year is made in advance. The animal is then brought out for the show, but the decision is not actually a surprise.
Nonetheless, the ceremony continued as planned, with much of the northern half of the nation hoping for different results.
The prediction happens every Feb. 2. Some years, Phil won't see his shadow, but others he will, which means six more weeks of winter.
The verdict came in just after 7:30 a.m. local time and was witnessed by a crowd of nearly 20,000 people.
Mixed among those spectators were some fairly notable residents, including the governor of Pennsylvania.
It is unclear how accurate Phil is in predicting six additional weeks of winter. The ceremony has, however, been going on since 1886, during which time Phil has seen his shadow 99 times and not seen it 16. Some years a record was not kept.
The annual event has been such a hit, it inspired the 1993 comedy "Groundhog Day."
Organizers said that on top of being a part of pop culture, Phil is never wrong. The groundhog keeps the predictions vague enough that the forecast can be found somewhere in the U.S.
It is unclear which area of the U.S. will see the most of Phil's predicted six additional weeks of winter.
