Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow: 6 more weeks of winter

Looks like it will be six more weeks of winter, as Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow Wednesday morning.

Pennsylvania’s most famous groundhog made his appearance at sunrise to throngs of fans gathered at Gobbler’s Knob — the largest ever, according to the Inner Circle of Punxsutawney Groundhog Club.

Legend has it that if he sees his shadow, it means six more weeks of winter. If not, it’s an early spring. Of course, regardless of Phil’s prediction, the first day of spring is March 20.

Phil was joined by a record crowd in the small Jefferson County town. With help from the leaders of the Inner Circle, Phil pops out of a tree stump every Feb. 2 to make his prediction.

Crowds returned Gobbler’s Knob this year after in-person attendance was eliminated during the 2021 event because of the coronavirus pandemic.

“Each year, we are honored to introduce the world to Punxsutawney Phil,” said Groundhog Club Inner Circle President Jeff Lundy. “The time-honored Pennsylvania tradition gives us an opportunity to show how proud we are of Punxsutawney, while also inviting visitors and spectators from around the world to join in spreading joy, no matter what the weather might hold.”

There were plenty of ways to tune in if you didn’t venture out:

• A livestream at visitpa.com/live-stream-phils-prediction started at 6 a.m. with pre-prognostication festivities.

• The prediction was broadcast live at 7:15 a.m. at facebook.com/visitPA/ and youtube.com/c/visitpa.

Greensburg’s Derek Woods Band entertained the crowd starting at about 4:30 a.m.

Punxsutawney Phil has been predicting the weather for more than 130 years, with the first event appearing in the local newspaper in 1886, according to the Groundhog Club. He has seen his shadow 103 times, including in 2021, 2018 and 2017. An early spring was predicted in 2020 and 2019.

The tradition is rooted in English and German folklore, according to the club.

Punxsutawney Phil may be the most famous groundhog seer but he’s certainly not the only one, and one competitor disagreed with his prediction. New York City’s Staten Island Chuck expects an early spring, according to Staten Island District Attorney Michael McMahon, who presided over a ceremony that was livestreamed from Chuck’s home at the Staten Island Zoo.

“He did not see his shadow. We will have an early spring,” McMahon announced.

New York Mayor Eric Adams did not attend the ceremony but said in a videotaped message, “Chuck has been very accurate in his predictions since 1981. I think I can speak for all New Yorkers when I say, ‘Chuck, please don’t see your shadow.’”

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has urged Phil’s retirement for years. The organization this year offered to send a persimmon tree, the seeds which can be used to gauge winter’s harshness based on folklore, according to a statement. A previous offer to send an animatronic groundhog equipped with artificial intelligence still stands.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.