Groundhog Day 2025: Punxsutawney Phil makes his winter prediction
Groundhog Day 2025: Punxsutawney Phil makes his winter prediction
It's time to prepare for six more weeks of winter, according to Punxsutawney Phil, who did see his shadow!
PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. - Today is the day! The nation's most famous groundhog has officially revealed the answer to our burning question - is more winter on the way?
What we know:
It's time to prepare for six more weeks of winter, according to Punxsutawney Phil, who did see his shadow!
The giant rodent emerged from his burrow at dawn on Sunday to three knocks on his door and chants of "Phil" as thousands across the country anxiously awaited his answer.
After being held in the air for all to see, Phil was placed on a stump to communicate with his inner circle.
Moments later, the scroll was read, revealing that winter wouldn't be coming to an end any time soon!
"I'm heading back down there's a shadow up here, get ready for six more weeks of winter this year!"
The backstory:
Every year, thousands gather in Pennsylvania's Gobbler's Knob as they await the groundhog's forecast for the rest of the year.
According to legend, there will be six more weeks of winter if he sees his shadow. If he doesn’t, spring comes early.
The annual holiday is always held on February 2. This year, that date lands on Sunday.
Groundhog Day originates from the Christian festival of Candlemas, a European tradition held on February 2 that uses a badger or hedgehog to predict the weather based on its shadow.
When German immigrants settled in Pennsylvania, they swapped the badger for a groundhog, because it was more common in the area.
The U.S. holiday appeared in a local newspaper in 1886, but the first official trip to Gobbler's Knob didn't happen until the following year.
Who is Punxsutawney Phil?
Punxsutawney Phil has been a member of the Groundhog Club since 1886. The 139-year-old groundhog is said to get his longevity by drinking a secret and magical, life-giving brew that only he can drink.
He goes by many names including: Br’er Groundhog, Seer of Seers, Prognosticator of Prognosticators, Weather Predictor Extraordinaire and National Treasure.
Phil is married to a groundhog named Phyllis, who gave birth to two healthy babies, Sunny and Shadow, in 2024.
How often is Punxsutawney Phil correct?
In short, not great. In the last decade, he was right 30 percent of the time. And, if you go back 20 years, he was right 40 percent of the time.
To judge Phil's accuracy, the FOX 29 Weather Authority compared Phil's national predictions to the temperatures that followed that February and March.
Looking at Philadelphia, Phil has the same record. The city's temperature forecast was correct only 40 percent of the time over 20 years.
In the last 10 years, he also got it right 40 percent of the time, a slight improvement over his national forecast.