Punxsutawney Phil welcomes 2 baby groundhogs to family
America has celebrated Groundhog Day for more than 130 years. Folklore has it that if the giant rodent sees its shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter, but if he doesn’t, an early spring is on the way. Phil’s accuracy is reported to only be around 40%.
Punxsutawney Phil makes 2024 Groundhog Day prediction
FOX News Senior Meteorologist Janice Dean is reporting live from Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania for Groundhog Day as the country awaits word from its favorite prognosticating rodent.
PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. – A notorious rodent known for his ability to predict the changes of seasons is now a proud father, according to the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club.
The group announced Wednesday that Phil and Phyllis recently welcomed two healthy babies to the family.
The newborns are said to be with their mom and dad in the habitat at the Punxsutawney Memorial Library located in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.
Every year, the town and nearby Gobbler’s Knob welcome thousands of visitors for Groundhog Day, which began back in 1887.
HOW ACCURATE IS PUNXSUTAWNEY PHIL?
According to folklore, when the groundhog sees its shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter, but if no shadow is spotted, an early spring will be near.
On Feb. 2, a crowd estimated to be 45,000 gathered for the 138th annual Groundhog Day festivities, where Phil arose from his winter slumber to predict an early spring.
The groundhog could not have been more accurate with his prediction as the U.S. reported its warmest winter on record, with February finishing at more than 7 degrees above normal.
The prediction will surely help improve the rodent’s long-term accuracy, which is believed to be less than 40%.
According to NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, Phil’s prediction for an extended winter in 2023 was half-correct, with above-average temperatures in February but slightly below-average readings in March.
![Groundhog handler AJ Dereume holds Punxsutawney Phil after he did not see his shadow predicting an early Spring during the 138th annual Groundhog Day festivities on Friday February 2, 2024 in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.]()
Image 1 of 6Groundhog handler AJ Dereume holds Punxsutawney Phil after he did not see his shadow predicting an early Spring during the 138th annual Groundhog Day festivities on Friday February 2, 2024 in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. (Jeff Swensen)
![Groundhog handler AJ Dereume holds Punxsutawney Phil after he did not see his shadow predicting an early Spring during the 138th annual Groundhog Day festivities on Friday February 2, 2024 in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.]()
Image 2 of 6Groundhog handler AJ Dereume holds Punxsutawney Phil after he did not see his shadow predicting an early Spring during the 138th annual Groundhog Day festivities on Friday February 2, 2024 in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. (Jeff Swensen)
![Groundhog Day Inner Circle Vice President Dan McGinley announces the weather prognostication as groundhog handler AJ Dereume holds Punxsutawney Phil after he did not see his shadow predicting an early Spring during the 138th annual Groundhog Day festivities on Friday February 2, 2024 in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.]()
Image 3 of 6Groundhog Day Inner Circle Vice President Dan McGinley announces the weather prognostication as groundhog handler AJ Dereume holds Punxsutawney Phil after he did not see his shadow predicting an early Spring during the 138th annual Groundhog Day festivities on Friday February 2, 2024 in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. (Jeff Swensen)
![FOX News Senior Meteorologist Janice Dean is reporting live from Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania for Groundhog Day as the country awaits word from its favorite prognosticating rodent.]()
Image 4 of 6FOX News Senior Meteorologist Janice Dean is reporting live from Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania for Groundhog Day as the country awaits word from its favorite prognosticating rodent. ( )
![Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow during a Groundhog Day celebration at the Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, on February 2, 2023.]()
Image 5 of 6Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow during a Groundhog Day celebration at the Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, on February 2, 2023. (Fatih Aktas/Anadolu Agency)
![Goundhog Day 2022 Punxsutawney Phil 2/2/2022]()
Image 6 of 6Groundhog handler AJ Derume holds Punxsutawney Phil, who saw his shadow, predicting a late spring during the 136th annual Groundhog Day festivities on February 2, 2022 in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. (Jeff Swensen/Getty Images)
PAGING OLD MAN WINTER? STORY BEHIND THE WINTER THAT WASN’T
The club says Phil has never had any children, and the recent news is a surprise to everyone.
In 2025, Groundhog Day will be celebrated on Sunday, Feb. 2, but the group has not said if Phil’s full family will be in attendance.
The public can see all four groundhogs year-round at the Punxsutawney Memorial Library.
The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club has not said what the names of the new mammals will be, but that will surely be something that the group will ponder during the offseason.