What's the legend behind Punxsutawney Phil? Groundhog Club Inner Circle president explains.
Groundhog Day has been a meteorological and cultural tradition since the 1800s in Pennsylvania.
According to legend, if Punxsutawney Phil emerges from Gobbler's Knob on Feb. 2 and sees his shadow, we have six more weeks of winter. If there is no shadow, we get an early spring.
After the eastern United States has been battered by snow and cold temperatures, it's safe to say there are a lot of people rooting for an early spring this year.
How often does Phil predict correctly?
Tom Dunkel, the president of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club Inner Circle, says Phil's predictions and prognostications are never wrong.
"As far as the Inner Circle can tell, it's been 100%, 100% of the time," said Dunkel. "You might get other people who view it differently. But according to our records, you know, he nails it every year."
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration may disagree, saying Phil has been right 30% in the past decade. And according to NOAA, Phil isn't even the most accurate weather-predicting animal. He's beaten out not only by living groundhogs like Staten Island Chuck, but even taxidermied groundhogs in the Pennsylvania towns of York and Kresgeville.
But, sure. If you go along with the Inner Circle, Phil is never wrong.
How many Punxsutawney Phils have there been?
Maybe Phil gets it right 100% of the time because of his many years of experience. That would be 140 years. Yes, Phil is allegedly 140 years old. Apparently, there is not only a weather-predicting groundhog in Punxsutawney, but there is also a fountain of youth there.
"The way Phil gets his life is, we have a picnic in the summertime where he will drink what's called the 'elixir of life,'" Dunkel said. "Every sip that Phil takes, he gets seven more years of longevity."
While there is only one Phil, his family has grown this year. Phil and his "wife" Phyllis welcomed two bundles of joy in spring 2024. It's Phil's first time as a dad, and the public helped name his babies Sunny and Shadow.
Groundhog Day ceremony draws thousands
So, there is only one Phil, like there is only one Easter Bunny or one Santa Claus. And like those two, once a year, Phil has a big job to do in front of thousands of excited people from all over the world.
"The energy level that is up on Gobbler's Knob is palatable," said Dunkel. "You can feel it because the person to your right and the person to your left is just as happy as you are, and it is just fantastic."
The year's event, like it is every year, is free and open to the public. But folks should give themselves plenty of time to get to Gobbler's Knob before the 6 a.m. ceremony.
And whether or not you actually believe that this 140-year-old rodent can predict an early spring, Dunkel says that Groundhog Day is really just about fun.
"There are a lot of serious things happening in and around the world today and Groundhog Day is not one of them," he said.