In brief
On February 2, a crowd gathered in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, to witness the famed groundhog Phil emerge from his burrow. This long-standing tradition claims that if Phil sees his shadow, six more weeks of winter are expected, while no shadow indicates an early spring. Interestingly, Phil's accuracy rate stands at around 35% over the last two decades.
Every 2 February since the late 1880s, people have gathered in the Pennsylvanian town of Punxsutawney to watch a groundhog be pulled out of his burrow and presented to the crowd. Legend has it that if Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow there will be six more weeks of winter; if not, spring is around the corner. According to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Punxsutawney Phil's forecasts have an accuracy rate of about 35% over the past 20 years.
