Punxsutawney Phil says - get ready for an early Spring

Groundhog Day is a time honored tradition that was brought to Germany by the Romans and somehow morphed into a way to predict weather.  If a hedgehog saw its shadow, there would be bad weather.  German settlers of Pennsylvania brought the tradition with them and opted to use a groundhog rather than a hedgehog.

Will we have an early spring or late winter this year?  The weather-predicting groundhog did not see his shadow today as he emerged from his burrow in western Pennsylvania at sunrise today thus indicating springlike conditions sooner than later!  And of the last 8 times that Punxsutawney Phil didn't see his shadow, he was "right" 5 times out of the 8!

The popularity of Groundhog Day continues to grow.  The Town of Punxsutawney comes alive with special events, celebrations, and fun.  

Punxsutawney Phil's forecast is recorded in the Congressional Records held in the National Archives and the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.

http://www.groundhog.org/