The world’s most well-known groundhog will predict whether or not there will likely be six extra weeks of winter or if spring will come early.
PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. — Human meteorologists, step apart. It is Punxsutawney Phil’s flip.
The world’s most well-known groundhog emerges each Feb. 2 to foretell whether or not there will likely be six extra weeks of winter or if spring will come early.
Test again for a livestream of Punxsutawney Phil’s prediction beginning at 6:15 a.m. ET. The prediction is predicted at about 7:20 a.m.
The legend is easy. If he sees his shadow and retreats to his burrow, chilly climate will persist into March. If he doesn’t see his shadow, spring will start.
The annual occasion has its origin in a German legend a couple of furry rodent. Information relationship to the late 1800s present Phil has predicted longer winters greater than 100 occasions. Final yr, Phil predicted six extra weeks of winter.
The forecast earlier than that known as for an early spring — nonetheless, Phil did not say something a couple of pandemic. The 2021 Groundhog Day occasion nonetheless went on, however due to the coronavirus pandemic, revelers weren’t in a position to see Phil and have a good time in individual. As a substitute, it was all digital and included cardboard cutouts to symbolize spectators.
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2022’s occasion is in-person, based on the Punxsutawney Chamber of Commerce, however tickets are bought out.
Within the almost 136-year historical past of Punxsutawney Phil, winter has been predicted greater than 100 occasions, the membership stated. Ten years have been misplaced as a result of no information have been saved.
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Not bought on Phil’s accuracy? Neither have been a crew of human researchers at a Canada college. Their 2021 examine of greater than 500 predictions by 33 groundhogs discovered that the furry “prognosticators” have been appropriate simply 50% of the time. Phil did solely slightly higher at 52%.
Lead creator Alex Ross advised Nationwide Geographic that it was “great” to work on such a lighthearted paper — although the venture did stem from “many conversations over many beers.”
