The most heralded of the forecasters of Groundhog Day, Punxsutawney Phil, took a stroll outside his lair on Thursday, only to "see" his shadow, thus predicting six more weeks of winter.
For Punxsutawney Phil, the Groundhog Day ceremony was, as always, a faux ceremony. Phil's prediction is always pre-determined by the "Inner Circle," a group who dons tuxedos and top hats and decides in advance what Phil will predict. The ceremony took place just before 7:30 a.m. EST. Typically, Phil's predictions bring thousands to watch; organizers said they anticipated some 15,000 to 18,000 onlookers
The groundhog made his "prediction" on Gobbler's Knob, which is a tiny hill in the town of Punxsutawney, from which he derives his name. The town is about 65 miles northeast of Pittsburgh.
According to the Inner Circle, Phil has now seen his shadow 100 times and hasn't seen it only 16 times since 1886. However, while the group has records of Phil's predictions dating back to 1886, what it doesn't have is a record of how many times Phil was right, and how many times Phil was wrong.
While the ceremony now attracts huge audiences, prior to the 1993 comedy "Groundhog Day," Phil was fortunate to have 2,500 in attendance, according to Mike Johnston, vice president of the Inner Circle. In that movie, Bill Murray plays a weatherman covering the event who is forced to relive the day over and over again. Also starring in the movie was Andie MacDowell.
Meanwhile, the rodent's big rival, Staten Island Chuck, did not see his shadown on Groundhog Day, which --- at least for New York City --- seems to forecast an early spring NYC mayor Michael Bloomberg chose to roll that prediction into a forecast for the Super Bowl, as well. "Six more weeks of warm weather and sun and a Giants win," Bloomberg said. Bloomberg and Staten Island Chuck don't necessarily have a good relationship' in 2009, the rodent bit Bloomberg on the finger, and last year, Bloomberg called him a "son of a b----."
For those really interested in Punxsutawney Phil, you can watch raw video of the 2012 Groundhog Day ceremony below.
If you're interested in the history of Groundhog Day, which is more than just a Pennsylvania "holiday," take a look at our prior coverage.
Image Source: Wikimedia Commons
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