(Photo courtesy PolicyMic.com)
By Kim Kalunian, WPRO News, with reports from the Associated Press
The famous groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, emerged from his burrow Saturday and didn't see his shadow. It's a sign that, in Punxsatawney's meterological methods, means spring is on its way.
As the legend goes, if the groundhog emerges from his burrow and sees his shadow, winter will last for six more weeks. If he doesn't see his shadow, as was the case today, spring will arrive early.
The tradition of Groundhog Day was started by German settlers in Pennsylvania, who carried over their native tradition of Candlemas Day. Traditionally, if the sun was shining on Candlemas Day, Germans believed winter would last through May. So how did the groundhog become part of this annual tradition? They were abundant and thought to be intelligent creatures.
The legend and tradition are sustained today by the Inner Circle, the group that oversees the ceremony each year.
According to the Associated Press, Bill Deeley, President of the Inner Circle, says he decides what the groundhog's prediction is after "consulting" with Phil.
The Inner Circle may hold Phil's predictions in high esteem, but weather experts like those at StormFax Weather Almanac say Phil's forecast has only been right roughly 37-percent of the time when compared with records dating back to 1887.
Phil, whose full name is Punxsutawney Phil Sowerby, has been predicting weather for 127 years, though the average lifespan of a groundhog in captivity is roughly 10 years. Here's what the official website of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club has to say about that:
"There has been only one Punxsutawney Phil. Punxsutawney Phil gets his longevity from drinking 'groundhog punch' (a secret recipe). One sip, which is administered every summer at the Groundhog Picnic, gives him seven more years of life."
According to lore, Phil was named after King Phillip and today shares his burrow in Gobbler's Knob with his wife, Phyllis.
