Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania Phil predicted six more weeks of winter when he awoke on Thursday morning and saw his shadow.
To obtain his weather forecast, Phil’s “inner circle” called him from his tree stump at Gobbler’s Knob. Folklore holds that there will be six more weeks of cold weather since Phil spotted his shadow. Phil would have anticipated an early spring had he not seen his own shadow.
A group of local dignitaries known as the “inner circle” are in charge of organizing the activities as well as providing Phil with food and care.
A German folktale about a fuzzy rodent is the inspiration for the yearly celebration in Punxsutawney. Records from 1887 show that Phil has correctly forecast winter more than 100 times. According to the organizers, ten years were wasted since no records were kept.
To witness Phil make his weather prediction, thousands of people went to the Pennsylvania town, which is located approximately 65 miles northeast of Pittsburgh.
“We have 6,000 residents, and that number grows to 20 or 30,000,” said Katie Laska, president of the Punxsutawney Chamber of Commerce. “You can only imagine the effect that has on our local economy.”
Punxsutawney Phil may be the most well-known groundhog forecaster, but he is by no means the only one. Staten Island Chuck from New York City will also provide his forecast on Thursday during a gathering at the Staten Island Zoo. All Update and video here