Will Punxsutawney Phil see his shadow Sunday on Groundhog Day?
If the weather-predicting groundhog sees his shadow, it allegedly means six more weeks of winter. If he doesn’t, it means an early spring. However, Punxsutawney Phil’s winter prognoses have only been right about 39% of the time.
PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. – Sunday marks the day the U.S. turns to a groundhog to learn if winter will tighten its grip on the country or if spring will arrive soon. That’s right, it’s Groundhog Day.
If the weather-predicting rodent named Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow when he emerges from his hidey-hole in Pennsylvania, it allegedly means six more weeks of winter. If he doesn’t, he has predicted an early spring.
At sunrise Sunday, the famous groundhog, also known as a woodchuck, will emerge in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, and attempt to answer the question: How much longer will winter last?
About 79% of the time, Phil sees his shadow, indicating more winter.
However, Phil’s winter prognostications have only been right about 39% of the time, according to the Stormfax Almanac.
HOW ACCURATE IS PUNXSUTAWNEY PHIL?
If you'd prefer your winter forecast to come from a more northern woodchuck, you can look to Charles G. Hogg also known as "Staten Island Chuck." Over the past decade, Chuck has only seen his shadow once.
Tune in to FOX Weather on Sunday morning for Groundhog Day coverage, with FOX News Senior Meteorologist Janice Dean reporting live from Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney.
Will Phil see his shadow?
The forecast calls for plenty of clouds when Phil emerges, but weather rarely plays a role in whether the groundhog sees his shadow. It's up to the rodent to use his "groundhogeese" to whisper his predictions to an interpreter, who then relays the message to the throngs of people waiting to hear.
(FOX Weather)