Groundhog Day falls right in the middle of the winter solstice and the spring equinox. On this day, Thursday Feb. 2, 2017, notable groundhog Punxsutawney Phil will give us his prediction on whether we’ll have to slog it out for another six weeks of winter or whether we can look forward to an early spring.
As you get ready for his prediction, we’ve prepared a few fun facts about Groundhog Day that you may not have already known.
When was the first Groundhog Day?
Feb. 2, 1887.
Groundhog Day 2016: Watch Punxsutawney Phil’s prediction
Who is Punxsutawney Phil?
Punxsutawney Phil is America’s most famous groundhog. He’s also the first and official forecasting critter.
Phil was named by Clymer H. Freas, editor of the Punxsutawney Spirit newspaper, after being inspired by a local hunting group he called the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club. The group would go up to Gobbler’s Knob, Pa., to find out whether winter would linger on.
And because Freas would write elaborate stories about the predictions, everyone started looking to Phil to announce when spring would arrive.
Oh, and for the record — his full name is Punxsutawney Phil, Seer of Seers, Sage of Sages, Prognosticator of Prognosticators and Weather Prophet Extraordinary.
How does the whole Groundhog Day thing work?
If Phil comes out of his little burrow and sees his shadow, there Wipbet will be six more weeks of winter. If he doesn’t see his shadow, then it’s time for spring!
Each year, Phil will relay his prediction to the head of the Inner Circle, the group of men in charge of feeding and taking care of Phil — they’re the guys with the big top hats. The president will then announce it to everyone gathered.
Wait a minute. Just how old is Phil?
He’s 130 years old this year. He takes a potion every summer — a Groundhog Punch — that extends his lifeline by seven years. And no, the punch doesn’t work for humans.
Anything else I should know about Phil?
When he’s not hibernating or predicting the weather, Phil lives in the town library…with his wife Phyllis. He’s also an avid traveler and has a fan base that includes celebrities and American presidents.
What is Phil’s track record?
The Groundhog Club’s records show that Phil saw his shadow 102 times and saw no shadow 18 times between 1887 and 2016.
As for whether he’s been right or wrong — that depends on where you live. Weather varies by location. The Washington Post actually studied his findings compared to temperatures across the country between 1984 and 2014, and likened his being right to a coin toss. It’s all just chance.
Lousy meteorologist or not, at least he’s cute, right?
Aren’t there other groundhogs?
Yes!
Staten Island Chuck, also known as Charles G. Hogg, apparently bit former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and was dropped by current mayor Bill de Blasio on Groundhog Day 2014.
General Beauregard Lee lives in Weathering Heights Plantation at the Yellow River Game Ranch in Georgia and predicts the weather for the southeast. Noteworthy are his commendations by four Georgia governors for his public service and his honorary doctorates.
Maritimer Shubencadie Sam hails from Nova Scotia, Canada.
Canadian town Wiarton has the world’s only weather predicting albino groundhog. Not nearly as old as Phil, Wiarton Willie has been predicting the weather since 1956 and attracts quite the crowd.
Are there any New Jersey weather predicting woodchucks?
Yes!
You can catch Milltown Mel II as he makes his prediction this year at about 7:20 a.m. across from the American Legion Post 25 on J.F. Kennedy Drive in Milltown.
Rajeev Dhir may be reached at rdhir@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @googasmammoo. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
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