PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. (AP) – There will be six more weeks of winter to come, Punxsutawney Phil predicted as he emerged from his den on a snowy Tuesday morning to complete his Groundhog Day duties.
Members of Phil’s “inner circle” woke the furry beast at 7:25 am at Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, to see if he would see his shadow or not.
Shortly after this year’s forecast was revealed, one of the inner circle members shared a message that he said Phil told him earlier in the day, “After winter, you are looking forward to one of the most beautiful and brightest feathers that you have ever been seen. “
Another member of the “inner circle” noted the uniqueness of the past year.
People refer to Groundhog Day. It felt like we were all living the same day at times, over and over, ”one member said. “Groundhog Day also shows us that the monotony is ending. The cycle will be broken. “
“Today is actually Groundhog Day, there is only one,” he added. “A new day is literally on the horizon.”
The spectacle that is Groundhog Day was still going on, but due to the coronavirus pandemic, revelers couldn’t see Phil and celebrate in person: this year it was all virtual.
A live stream, which at one point had more than 15,000 viewers, played back footage from Groundhog Day’s prior to the big reveal.
Then, of course, came the forecast indicator of forecasting indicators – assisted by his Inner Circle – at dawn. Tradition has it that if he sees his shadow as he did this year, there will be six more weeks of winter. If he doesn’t, spring will come early.
The live stream of Gobbler’s Knob, a small hill just outside Punxsutawney, about 65 miles northeast of Pittsburgh, is powered by Holi-stay PA from the Pennsylvania Tourism Office. The event there – always February 2 – dates back to 1887.
This year, like many years in the past, Phil gave his prediction during a major snowstorm that hit the entire Northeast.
The annual event has its roots in a German legend about a hairy rodent. Records dating back to the late 1800s show that Phil predicted winters more than 100 times longer. The forecast for 2020 called for an early spring Phil didn’t say anything about a pandemic, though.
Punxsutawney Phil may be the most famous groundhog seer, but he’s by no means alone. There are two other high-profile ‘imposters’, as the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club calls them, in the region.
Staten Island Chuck will be asked for his prophecy at the Staten Island Zoo in New York around 8 a.m. on Tuesday. That event will be streamed on Facebook since the zoo is closed.
Even without fanfare, Chuckles, Connecticut’s official groundhog, will make a prediction from home: the Lutz Children’s Museum in Manchester. That is also streamed on Facebook. Chuckles X died in September, and it remains to be seen if an anointed Chuckles XI will make an appearance on Tuesday.