Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow, handlers say, predicting 6 more weeks of wintry weather

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By MARK SCOLFORO and TASSANEE VEJPONGSA
Updated 7:32 AM CST, February 2, 2025

PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. (AP) — Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow Sunday and predicted six more weeks of wintry weather, his top-hatted handlers announced to a raucus, record-sized crowd at Gobbler’s Knob in Pennsylvania.

Phil was welcomed with chants of “Phil, Phil, Phil,” and pulled from a hatch on his tree stump shortly after sunrise before a member of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club read from a scroll in which he boasted: “Only I know — you can’t trust A.I.”

The woodchuck’s weather forecast is an annual ritual that goes back more than a century in western Pennsylvania, with far older roots in European folklore, but it took Bill Murray’s 1993 “Groundhog Day” movie to transform the event into what it is today, with tens of thousands of revelers at the scene and imitators scattered around the United States and beyond.

When Phil is deemed to have not seen his shadow, that is said to usher in an early spring. When he does see it, there will be six more weeks of winter.



Read more: https://apnews.com/article/punxsutawney-phil-groundhog-winter-forecast-ab11e8b4745227fe2b218d2ccebbbaa4

[doc03]

1. Phil is a groundhog what does he know. I say winter has broken and spring has sprung.

I know more about weather than anyone. Donold J. Trump

[hlthe2b]

2. Love ya Phil, but that is obvious out West... Seasons have shifted at least a month over past decades...

Of course, this is Colorado where one can sit outside in 60F sunshine one day and shovel feet of heavy spring snow the next.

But, I take perverse amusement at all those (relatively new to Colorado) who just can't resist planting on those April to Mid May days when we have a spring-like few days and come home all psyched to plant all that Home Depot has to offer-- because there is a reason why several of our best-located/snow-wise ski resorts (especially Arapahoe Basin) don't typically close down until June. And those late storms--whether wet snow--or hail or ice with hail--catch them quite off-guard despite warnings from neighbors and friends like myself. Most learn after one costly mistake... I know I did.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

3. Six more weeks of winter? And I was hoping Spring would come in a month and a half.

[3825-87867]

4. Pfffftt! That's nothing but fiction!

In REAL prognostication -
The Rotund POS in the Capitol Rotunda this year saw HIS shadow!
That means 4 more years of corrupt government.

Skeptical?
For non believers, the fat one saw his shadow in 2017 - we had 4 years of greed and BS.
The Mr. Doo inspired pile of whale shit did NOT see his shadow in 2021 and we had 4 years of prosperity.

QED!

[Sneederbunk]

5. The groundhog is dead on.

My calendar says Spring arrives March 20. It's uncanny.

[twodogsbarking]

6. Little know history about Punxsutawney. They used to have a picnic in the summer and serve..........................

Groundhog.

[JohnnyRingo]

7. I'd wring that chubby little bastard's neck if I was there.

Sorry PETA but I'm sick of this weather and this is a case where shooting the messenger is perfectly fine. Stuff that rodent - and his fat shadow - back in that hole and pour a concrete slab over it.
Anyone know a good recipe for groundhog stew?

There, I feel a little better now, if not warmer.

[FakeNoose]

8. It's cold, gray and overcast here in Pittsburgh, so our groundhogs are sleeping in today

The groundhogs in Punxsutawney must be on drugs or something. Even my dog doesn't want to go out today.
The best part of February 2nd is the chance to watch reruns of the great Bill Murray movie, "Groundhog Day."