Punxsutawney Phil will predict whether it's spring or six more weeks of winter.
12:34, Mon, Feb 2, 2026 Updated: 12:34, Mon, Feb 2, 2026
Punxsutawney Phil will make his annual appearance today. (Image: Getty)
Punxsutawney Phil is preparing to make his annual Groundhog Day appearance as thousands descend on a small Pennsylvania town. If the famous groundhog sees his shadow, this marks six more weeks of winter and he returns to his hole. However, if he doesn't see his shadow, this is a sign of spring and he will stay above ground. The festivities are held on Gobbler's Knob - a small hill and stage about two miles southeast of the small borough of Punxsutawney.
While things kick off before dawn, the real celebrations won't begin until Phil comes out of his hole at around 6am when the sun starts to show. Last year he predicted six more weeks of winter, but experts say the groundhog isn't always accurate. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says he's correct only 30% of the time, based on his predictions from 2015 to 2024.
There are 88 official weather-forecasting groundhogs identified by GROUNDHOG-DAY.com that participate in annual predictions, consisting of 74 American and 14 Canadian groundhogs.
While Punxsutawney Phil is the most famous, many others contribute to this tradition, including other non-groundhog rodents.
The Inner Circle is the name for the high-ranking members of the Groundhog Club, who are responsible for planning the events of the day, and feeding and taking care of Phil.
They include President Tom Dunkel, Vice President Dan McGinley, and Secretary Jason Grusky.
If Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow, this marks six more weeks of winter and he returns to his hole. However, if he doesn't see his shadow, this is a sign of spring and he will stay above ground.
Unfortunately, the famous groundhog doesn't often get it right. Experts at the NOAA say he's correct 30% of the time, based on his predictions from 2015 to 2024.
Groundhog Day, celebrated on February 2, originated from European traditions merging Christian Candlemas with ancient weather lore.
German settlers in Pennsylvania adapted the custom, replacing hedgehogs with groundhogs to predict either an early spring or six more weeks of winter based on the animal's shadow. The first official Punxsutawney event was in 1886.
CBS Philadelphia has a livestream of the event on its YouTube channel, which you can click here to watch.
The latest news from around the world Invalid email
We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our Privacy Policy
Celebrations have begun in Punxsutawney, but Phil has not yet appeared. He is expected to come out of his hole when the sun begins to appear. It's currently nearly 6.30am in Pennsylvania, so he could rear his head within the next hour or so!
2 hours ago
1
English (US) · 