Groundhog Day: Punxsutawney Phil set to make prediction about late winter or early spring – BBC.com
Punxsutawney Phil – a furry forecaster – has predicted six more weeks of winter in North America, after seeing his shadow He emerged at his stump to chants of “Phil, Phil, Phil” from the large crowd on Groundhog Day at Gobbler’s Knob in the town of Punxsutawney, PennsylvaniaThe rules are simple: If Phil, the groundhog, sees his shadow while perched on top of a tree trunk then there will be another six weeks of winter – which is exactly what happened todayHuge crowds watched on as Phil spoke in Groundhog-ese to share his prediction with the only man who can understand him – Tom Dunkel, President of Punxsutawney Groundhog clubEdited by Matt SpiveyWe’re now bringing our live coverage of Groundhog Day in Pennsylvania to a close, as Punxsutawney Phil has predicted six more weeks of winter in the US. Here’s the moment the weather predicting rodent spotted his shadow and communicated his prediction to a huge crowd chanting “Phil! Phil! Phil!”Thanks for joining, and if you’re in North America – get your coat, gloves and scarves at the ready – if Phil is to be trusted.This video can not be playedWatch: Punxsutawney Phil predicts six more weeks of WinterPhil has seen his shadow and has communicated his forecast to Tom Dunkel, president of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club. Phil has spoken to Dunkel in a language described as “Groundhog-ese”, which is made possible by a special cane – owned by the club’s leader.This means Phil’s predicted people in North America will need to continue to wrap up warm as there will be another six weeks of winter.The moment we’ve all been waiting for…Punxsutawney Phil has come out of his stump!Will his forecast bring another six weeks of winter or summon an early spring?Tarik HabteBBC NewsYou’re probably familiar with Groundhog Day more-so as the name of a hit nineties film starring Bill Murray, but the tradition stretches back for centuries.The event is believed to be rooted in religious beliefs with Christians bringing their candles to church to be blessed on February 2, in hope that good fortune would bestow their homes for the rest of winter.This particular woodchuck tradition is said to have begun in 1886 when Groundhog Day was formally recognised in Pennsylvania. The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club was established a year later and that’s when the first official predictions began.The forecast works like this: if Phil emerges from his hole and sees his shadow he has predicted six more weeks of wintry conditions. If Phil does not see his shadow, he has predicted an early spring.The event has continued to grow in popularity with as many as 30,000 visitors trekking to Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney, to see Phil make his predictions.Crowds have already descended on the town of Gobblers Knob in Pennsylvania borough, Punxsutawney, with signs and banners paying homage to the forecasting groundhog – Phil.It’s around 06:30 local time and people donned in their finery are gathering to meet forecasting supremo, Punxsutawney Phil – a real-life groundhog.Fans of Phil have turned up in their groundhog costumesPhil has become somewhat of a local celebrity, with these fans holding up a sign spelling out his nameA trip to Gobblers Knob is not complete without some groundhog merchTarik HabteBBC NewsIf this is your first time hearing of forecasting groundhog Phil from Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania; you probably have a lot of questions.So, who exactly is the woodchuck, the myth, the legend? According to the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, established in 1886, Phil has been providing his predictions for over a century now. The lifespan of a groundhog in the wild is around six years but a special “elixir of life” is regularly administered to Phil to keep him “immortal”. There is, allegedly, only one Phil.Phil does have a family and has recently become a new father with wife Phyllis bearing him two pups this past Spring named Sunny and Shadow.Matt SpiveyLive page editorWe’re heading live this morning to Gobbler’s Knob, Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, where it’s Groundhog Day (again). Punxsutawney Phil – an actual groundhog and proclaimed “weather predictor extraordinaire” , external- will be placed on a stage (tree stump) as a crowd waits to see if he will look at his own shadow or not.The annual tradition, which attracts thousands of spectators, has some very simple rules: If Phil looks at his own shadow then there will be another six weeks of the North American winter, and if not, then an early spring is on the horizon.You can follow along with Phil at the event in Pennsylvania by clicking Watch live at the top of this page. We won’t be providing regular text updates but we will bring you the news here whether Phil sees his shadow – or not.Copyright © 2025 BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.
