On Sunday morning, as the sun rises, Punxsutawney Phil and his team of top-hatted handlers will reveal the woodchuck’s weather prediction for the coming weeks—whether it’s six more weeks of winter or an early spring.
This tradition, which dates back over a century in western Pennsylvania and has roots in European folklore, became widely popular after the 1993 movie Groundhog Day starring Bill Murray. The film helped turn the event into a massive spectacle, drawing tens of thousands of spectators and inspiring similar celebrations across the U.S. and beyond.
Last year’s crowd may have set a record, and organizers are preparing for a large turnout again this year.
If Phil doesn’t see his shadow, it’s believed to signal an early spring. However, if he does spot it, we can expect six more weeks of winter, though the interpretation of this prediction can vary.
Phil has tended to predict a longer winter more often than an early spring, and one study tracking his accuracy found that he was correct less than 50% of the time.
Tom Dunkel, president of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, explains that there are two kinds of people who come to Gobbler’s Knob: those who truly believe in the tradition and hope to confirm their beliefs, and those who are skeptical and want to prove it wrong.
Phil shares his weather prediction through what is known as “Groundhog-ese,” with the help of a special cane that Dunkel, the club’s president, has inherited. Phil doesn’t speak English; instead, he communicates by winking, purring, chattering, and nodding, according to Dunkel.
While attending the event is free, there is a $5 charge for a bus ride to avoid walking the 1-mile (1.6 km) journey from the town center to the stage where Phil makes his prediction. This location is about 80 miles (123 km) northeast of Pittsburgh. Because of the need for so many buses, local schools—whose sports mascot is the Chucks—close on weekdays when Groundhog Day occurs.
A new welcome center opened four years ago, and the club is also working on a new, more elaborate living space for Phil and his family. This will allow them to split time between Gobbler’s Knob and their longtime home at the local library. To improve the experience for attendees, the club is adding large video screens and more powerful speakers this year, ensuring people in the back can follow the action.
“It’s a holiday where you don’t really owe anyone anything,” said A.J. Dereume, who serves as Phil’s handler among the 15 members of the club’s inner circle. “It’s about holding onto a fun belief.”
Phil has a wife, Punxsutawney Phyllis, and two pups, Shadow and Sunny, born this spring, but they won’t be joining him on stage for the big event. The groundhog family’s diet consists of fruits and vegetables, and they receive daily visits from Dereume, along with an annual check-up from a veterinarian.
According to club lore, Phil is the same groundhog who has been making weather predictions for over a century, thanks to an “elixir of life” that grants him immortality.
“There’s only one Phil, and it can’t be passed down,” said Dunkel. “Just like Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny, there’s only one.”
Groundhog Day celebrations, both formal and informal, are taking place in numerous towns across Pennsylvania and beyond, with events in at least 28 U.S. states and Canadian provinces.