On Thursday, February 2, 2023, Punxsutawney Phil came out of his den to see if we’ll have six more weeks of wintry weather or spring weather. The groundhog saw his shadow which means we’re in for six more weeks of winter. [1]
Prediction
Bright and early on February 2nd, Punxsutawney Phil was greeted by a crowd of fans cheering him on. Despite the frigid temperatures below freezing, the groundhog saw his shadow which means six more weeks of winter.
Past History
Punxsutawney Phil has been predicting the weather on Groundhogs Day for the past 137 years. [2]
Right or Wrong?
While the groundhog does not have a meteorological degree, people across the United States still tune in to watch him. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said that in the last 10 years they’ve found “on average, Phil has gotten it right 40% of the time.” [3]
6 Weeks
If you’re a little bit confused, here’s the predictions. If Phil sees his shadow, it means six more weeks of winter; if he doesn’t see his shadow, than we’ll have six more weeks of warmer, more spring-like weather.
Notes:
- ^https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/02/us/groundhog-day-punxsutawney-phil-2023-trnd/index.html (go back ↩)
- ^https://www.goerie.com/story/news/2023/02/02/groundhog-day-2023-punxsutawney-phil-sees-shadow-6-more-weeks-of-winter/69863506007/ (go back ↩)
- ^https://apnews.com/article/groundhog-day-2023-predictions-1c96d9255b0009fa6a52b4a1e4a40dd0 (go back ↩)
