What does "Groundhog Day" mean? All we know about the tradition

Groundhog Day is celebrated on February 2 every year as it holds significance among the people of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. It involves a groundhog, "Weather Predictor Extraordinaire" Punxsutawney Phil, using his shadow to predict whether the cold weather will continue for six more weeks or people could expect a warmer breeze soon.

According to USA Today, the prediction will happen after 7:00 am. While the tradition often does not sound foolproof to others, it has been an annual activity since 1886.

Groundhog Day began as a custom followed by German Pennsylvanians in the 18th and 19th centuries. However, it is believed that it originated in Europe. On February 2, people used to watch badgers or hedgehogs to check if they could see their shadows on Candlemas Day. When the number of hedgehogs went down, the Germans looked for groundhogs to make the predictions.

On the auspicious day, people gather around Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney to be a part of the celebrations.

For the unversed, Punxsutawney Phis is a famous groundhog who has lived for 139 years. According to Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, Phil drinks a secret elixir of life during summer. Its every sip allegedly gives him a longevity of seven years.

---

What happens on Groundhog Day?

On Groundhog Day, the weather forecast takes place as Punxsutawney Phil steps out. If he sees his shadow, it is believed that the winter will last another one and a half months. On the other hand, if he does not see a shadow, it means people can expect warm weather sooner and it will also mean that spring will come early.

The National Weather Service has confirmed that Phil's predictions over the last ten years were right 30 percent of the time. Phil's prediction worked last year. He did not see his shadow, and spring came a bit early.

The winter season in the US was pretty harsh in January as the country was hit with a major winter storm. Moreover, due to an Arctic blast, the temperatures went down below average. While it was a once-in-a-generation weather event, the storm also helped South set snowfall records.

In 2025, after 138 years, Phil is still predicting the weather, which gives hope to people for a warmer breeze. Pennsylvania is not the only place where an animal predicts weather. Similar traditions are followed by many other states: General Beauregard Lee in Georgia, Staten Island in New York, and Buckeye Chuck in Ohio.