In brief
On this year's Groundhog Day, Punxsutawney Phil emerged from his burrow, continuing a cherished tradition that dates back to the late 1880s. Legend holds that if he sees his shadow, winter will linger for six more weeks, otherwise, an early spring is expected. Over the last two decades, Phil's weather predictions have shown a modest accuracy of around 35%.
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.
