Today is Groundhog Day! It’s my favorite day of the year. Did Phil see his shadow and will we have 6 more weeks of Winter, or an early Spring? (scroll down to the end to see what he predicted for Groundhog Day 2019)
Groundhogs are cute but I particularly love February 2nd because those super-short (and dark) days of Winter are finally getting a bit longer.
No matter what happens, I know Spring is inevitable! Yay!
If you’ve seen the movie “Groundhog Day” with Bill Murray you know there are official celebrations.
In reality, devotees of Groundhog Punxsutawney Phil get out to Gobblers Knob in Punxsutawney PA way early in the morning.
As the crowd tries hard not to freeze, the official handlers (in top hats and warm coats) read a proclamation, and then one of the handlers reaches into Phil’s burrow (actually a metal tree trunk) “talks” to Phil, and then tells the crowd what Phil has told him.
If he sees his shadow there are 6 more weeks of winter, but if he doesn’t see his shadow there also could be an early Spring!
I would guess right after the news, everyone rushes to get hot drinks in a much warmer setting to celebrate either the coming of Spring or a few more weeks of Winter.
The weather people probably hate standing around in the cold in the wee hours of the morning, but still, it’s a charming tradition.
Marmots!
Groundhogs are not hogs at all. They’re part of the marmot family.
At this time of year they come out of their burrows to scent mark turf in the forest, and then they go back to their burrows to enhance romance!
this groundhog used to live under my fire pit in Pennsylvania
Wild groundhogs have a short lifespan, but some have lived 6 years or more. I had two wild groundhogs who used to sun themselves on the deck of my fire pit.
They’re notoriously shy. Hawks and other predators threaten them (I’d be skittish, too)!
Celebrating Groundhog Day
You’ve probably seen the movie with actor Bill Murray. He plays a reporter, miserably stuck in Punxsutawney for Groundhog Day, forced to live the same day over and over again.
I’ve never been to the actual Groundhog Day ceremony held annually in Punxsutawney on Ground Hog Day, February 2nd. but I have visited and seen the official “Phil” (there are actually a few groundhogs and they live in the town’s library. .
A Brief History of Groundhog Day
Groundhog Day has its origins in a European tradition that if a hibernating animal (usually a hedgehog) casts a shadow February 2nd (Candlemas) then winter will last another six weeks. If no shadow is seen, Spring will come early!
The legend states: “For as the sun shines on Candlemas Day, so far will the snow swirl in May” When German settlers came to Pennsylvania’s to settle early in America’s history, they continued the tradition, exchanging the hedgehog for the more abundant, groundhog
More Than One GroundHog
Closer to wherever you live there are likely other official groundhogs. Here are some famous weather groundhogs to watch this year. Did they see a shadow, or not?!
1. Punxsutawney Phil (Punxsutawney, Pa.)
2. Staten Island Chuck (Staten Island, N.Y., and official groundhog meteorologist of New York City)
3. General Beauregard Lee (Lilburn, Ga.)
4. Dunkirk Dave (Dunkirk, N.Y.)
5. Chattanooga Chuck (Chattanooga, Tenn.)
6. Buckeye Chuck (Marion, Ohio)
7. Sir Walter Walley (Raleigh, N.C.)
8. Jimmy the Groundhog (Sun Prairie, Wis.)
9. Malverne Mel (Malverne, N.Y.)
10. Holtsville Hal (Holtsville, N.Y.)
11. Woody (Howell, Mich.)
DID PHIL SEE HIS SHADOW?
Is it Spring yet?
Does Phil see his shadow or not?
Punxsutawney, PA 2019 – This morning, Pennsylvania’s own world-famous groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, predicted an early spring after not seeing his shadow, a prediction so rare that it has only happened 19 times in the 133-year history of Groundhog Day.
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