Toss aside your fur coats and break out the bikinis and speedos! Our number one groundhog weather forecaster, Punxsutawney Phil, says Spring is coming early for 2016.
At 7:25 am this Groundhog Day (February 2), Punxsutawney Phil climbed out of his tree trunk home in Punxsutawney, PA and could not find his shadow. According to Groundhog Day folklore, this is an indication that Spring will be here soon.
If you are one to believe the folklore, then Spring should be right around the corner. Others say that the folklore is nothing more than just lore.
The Groundhogs’ predictions are not always accurate as pointed out in an article from the Washington Post.
But before packing away your winter coats, consider the last time the rodent called for an early spring in 2013, punishing cold and snow gripped the eastern United States deep into March.
– Jason Samenow, Washington Post
If you are a believer and wake up every February 2nd to Sonny and Cher’s “I Got You Babe”, do not get too excited just yet. While a lot of Americans look toward Punxsutawney Phil for their weather forecasts, the Pennsylvania rodent is not the only meteorologist in the business. There are other Groundhogs across the country. While most of them agree with Phil, a chart from WikiPedia shows two of them disagree. Buckeye Chuck of Ohio and Dunkirk Dave of New York saw their shadows and predict six more weeks of winter.
Groundhog Day History and Lore
This traditional holiday is traced back as far as 1841. The old Pennsylvania German lore said that the Groundhog would come out from his Winter slumber to check the weather. If he saw his shadow, he would retreat to his hibernation for another six weeks. If he did not see his shadow, the groundhog would then scurry about. Over the years, faithful followers have upheld the tradition and still gather regularly every 2nd of February to watch the Groundhog come out from his home.
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