Groundhog Day

Groundhog Day is February 2

Always on Feb. 2, the biggest, national celebration is held in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, where up to 40,000 visitors show up. California also has a few, localized celebrations you may enjoy. Among them is the Quincy Groundhog Fever Day.

Punxsutawney Phil has been the official groundhog weather forecaster since 1887.

Pennsylvania's ceremony takes place in the town's Gobbler's Knob.

If the day is sunny and Phil sees his shadow, according to legend the scared groundhog returns to his burrow and the U.S. will endure six more weeks of winter.

If it's cloudy when Phil emerges on Feb. 2, springtime weather is soon on its way.

Punxsutawney Phil is cared for by Pennsylvania Groundhog Club, which keeps statistics on predictions.

Phil the Groundhog has 39% accuracy in predicting the future.
Phil has predicted 17 forecasts for an early spring and 103 for a long winter.

Local groundhogs come out of their burrows usually in March, regardless of Groundhog Day predictions.

Though hunger may be gnawing at them, groundhogs usually choose sex first, looking for a mate as they emerge in the spring.