Punxsutawney Phil Sees His Shadow, Predicts Six More Weeks of Winter
For the 20th time since 2000, Punxsutawney Phil has delivered a familiar forecast: winter isn’t ready to loosen its grip. The world’s most famous groundhog emerged early Sunday morning at Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, where he saw his shadow — a sign, according to tradition, that six more weeks of winter lie ahead.
Temperatures hovered just above zero as tens of thousands of spectators gathered for the annual Groundhog Day ritual. Despite the bitter cold, longtime attendees said the celebration offered a welcome break from winter monotony.
Rick Siger, Pennsylvania’s secretary of community and economic development, said the thermometer in his vehicle read 4 degrees Fahrenheit as he drove to Gobbler’s Knob. Still, he returned for his fourth consecutive Groundhog Day.
“I think it’s just fun — folks having a good time. It brings people together at a challenging time. It is a unifying force that showcases the best of Pennsylvania, the best of Punxsutawney, this area.”
Nearby, Lisa Gibson marked her 10th Groundhog Day bundled up in a lighted hat designed to resemble the tree stump from which Phil appears each year at dawn. She attended with her husband, who was dressed as Elvis Presley, and their teenage daughter.
“Oh man, it just breaks up the doldrums of winter,” Gibson said. “It’s like Halloween and New Year’s Eve all wrapped up into one holiday.”
The Pittsburgh resident said she had been hoping Phil wouldn’t see his shadow. The forecast was met with loud boos from the crowd. Phil’s handlers cut short the customary post-prediction photo opportunities, citing the extreme cold and concerns about keeping the animal exposed for too long.
Despite his celebrity status, Phil is far from the most reliable weather forecaster. In 2025, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration evaluated 19 animal-based prognosticators, including live animals, taxidermized figures, and even statues, and ranked their accuracy.
Staten Island Chuck claimed the top spot with an 85% accuracy rate. Phil ranked 17th, with a success rate of just 35%.
This year’s predictions from other animal forecasters were split:
- Staten Island Chuck (New York): six more weeks of winter
- Woodstock Willie (Illinois): early spring
- Dunkirk Dave (New York): early spring
- Buffalo Bert (New York): six more weeks of winter
- General Beauregard “Beau” Lee (Georgia): six more weeks of winter
- Woody the Woodchuck (Michigan): six more weeks of winter
On Sunday, Phil reportedly selected one of two scrolls confirming the extended winter prediction.
Phil’s forecast hinges on a simple rule. If the sun is shining and he sees his shadow, the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club says it signals “an omen of six more weeks of bad weather,” prompting him to return to his burrow. If clouds obscure the sun and no shadow appears, Phil stays above ground, signaling an early spring.
The shadow-based ritual traces back centuries to Candlemas, a Christian holiday observed on Feb. 2 that marks the midpoint between winter and spring. Candlemas commemorates the presentation of Jesus at the Temple of Jerusalem and traditionally involves blessing candles for use throughout the year.
Historically, the weather on Candlemas was believed to predict the coming season. An old English rhyme reflects that belief. “If Candlemas be fair and bright, winter has another flight. If Candlemas brings clouds and rain, winter will not come again,” it reads.
Before groundhogs entered the picture, Europeans observed other hibernating animals, such as bears and badgers, to predict seasonal change, according to the National Weather Service.
When German immigrants settled in Pennsylvania in the 1700s, they brought their Candlemas customs with them. Lacking native badgers, they turned to groundhogs instead, cementing the animal’s role in American folklore.
The modern celebration began in the late 19th century. Clymer Freas, editor of the Punxsutawney Spirit and a member of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, originally a groundhog hunting group, published an article in 1886 claiming a local groundhog could predict the weather.
The first official trip to Gobbler’s Knob followed on Feb. 2, 1887, when Phil saw his shadow. The tradition gained global fame decades later with the release of the 1993 film “Groundhog Day,” starring Bill Murray. Today, Phil is promoted as the “Seer of Seers,” drawing visitors from around the world each February.
As the crowd gathered this year, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) renewed its push to replace Phil with a hologram.
In a Jan. 20 letter to Punxsutawney Groundhog Club President Tom Dunkel, PETA founder Ingrid Newkirk argued that groundhogs are timid animals that prefer not to be around noisy crowds.
“As we’ve pointed out before, it’s time to chuck this tired tradition. Groundhogs are timid prey animals who, if they’re able to, actively avoid humans. They dislike human smells, fear loud noises, abhor gatherings, and prefer to stay in their burrows. Yet every year, this terrified little animal is subjected to loud announcers and noisy crowds and held up and waved around without any regard for his feelings, welfare, or instincts.”
PETA proposed retiring Phil and his family to a sanctuary in exchange for “a massive, state-of-the-art, 3-D projection of a groundhog complete with vocal weather predictions to light up the stage at Gobbler’s Knob each year.” The animal rights organization argued the town could “still make a quick buck out of Chuck.”
“A giant 3-D hologram would thrill crowds and illuminate the fact that compassion and innovation go hand in hand. Punxsutawney could at last show that genuinely caring for Phil means letting him hibernate, dig, burrow, smell fresh air, and simply live like the wild animal he is in a reputable sanctuary.”
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro dismissed the idea in a post on X, sharing a photo of Phil alongside the caption “Don’t tread on me,” a reference to the Revolutionary War–era Gadsden Flag.
The nonprofit has made similar appeals before. In 2025, it suggested replacing Phil with a vegan “Weather Reveal” cake, sliced open to reveal blue for six more weeks of winter or pink for an early spring. For now, though, the forecast and the forecaster remain unchanged.
Moumita Basuroychowdhury is a Contributing Reporter at The National Digest. After earning an economics degree at Cornell University, she moved to NYC to pursue her MFA in creative writing. She enjoys reporting on science, business and culture news. You can reach her at moumita.b@thenationaldigest.com.
