Groundhog Day is Monday, Feb. 2, 2026. That is when Pennsylvania’s legendary groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, will emerge from his burrow on Gobbler’s Knob around 7:20 a.m. to make his annual weather prediction. If Phil sees his shadow, it means we’re in store for another six more weeks of winter . If he doesn’t, it means an early spring is on its way. The festivities begin at 3 a.m., with tens of thousands of people making the trek to Gobbler’s Knob, a crowd that has continued to grow in the years since the 1993 movie “Groundhog Day,” starring Bill Murray, was released. The history According to the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, the Christian observance of Candlemas Day is most commonly associated with the modern celebration. On Feb. 2, Christians took candles to church to be blessed, believing this would bring blessings to their homes for the rest of winter. At some point, the club says, weather came into the picture, as this English folk song highlights: “If Candlemas be fair and bright, Come, Winter, have another flight; If Candlemas brings clouds and rain, Go Winter, and come not again.” When this tradition took root in Germany, animals were introduced into the lore, the club says. The Germans believed there would be six more weeks of bad weather if the hedgehog saw his shadow on Candlemas Day. The tradition traveled with the Germans as they settled in these parts. But there weren’t any hedgehogs, so the Germans picked the groundhog as a substitute. First celebration In Punxsutawney, the first time Groundhog Day appeared in the local newspaper was 1886. And the first official gathering at Gobbler’s Knob came the following year, the club says. That year, the groundhog saw his shadow. How accurate is he? Whatever prediction Phil makes, the odds aren’t on his side, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. NOAA had a little fun and reviewed the accuracy of 19 animal prognosticators across the U.S. The groundhogs — along with a tortoise, whose emergence from his winter hibernation foretells the coming of spring, and a prairie dog statue, whose shadow at sunrise predicts how long it will be until spring arrives — were ranked based on their accuracy over the past 20 years, using the March temperature averages for the U.S., NOAA said. The top predictor was Staten Island Chuck with an accuracy rate of 85%. Also known as Charles G. Hogg, Chuck lives in New York’s Staten Island Zoo. NOAA notes his weather reliability can be a little clouded by his unpredictable behavior — he once bit the hand of the city’s mayor. And Phil? Well, he finished 17th, with an accuracy rate of 35%. But even NOAA understands Phil’s legacy, posting on its website with the rankings: “Although he is not the most accurate seasonal prognosticator, we would be remiss not to honor the longest-running weather-forecasting groundhog in the United States, Punxsutawney Phil. A beloved national celebrity, legend has it that he has been prophesying when spring would arrive from his burrow on Gobbler’s Knob since 1887. How has he lived for so long? The answer is simple … the ‘groundhog nog’ fed to him each fall at Punxsutawney’s annual Groundhog Picnic!” Phil’s highlights The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club website lists the following among Phil’s highlights: • During Prohibition Phil threatened to impose 60 weeks of winter on the community if he wasn’t allowed a drink. • In 1958, Phil announced it was a “United States Chucknik,” rather than a Soviet Sputnik or Muttnik that became the first man-made satellite to orbit Earth. • In 1981, Phil wore a yellow ribbon in honor of the American hostages recently freed from Iran. • In 1986, Phil traveled to Washington to meet with President Ronald Reagan. • In 1987, Phil met Gov. Dick Thornburg. • In 1993, Columbia Pictures released the movie “Groundhog Day” starring Bill Murray. • In 1995, Phil appeared on the “Oprah Winfrey Show.” • In 1996, Sega donated $10,000 to the Groundhog Club as Punxsutawney helped promote the company’s newest game at the time, “Sonic the Hedgehog 3.” • In 1998, The Groundhog Day ceremony was first broadcast live worldwide via the internet. • In 2001, Phil’s prediction was shown live on the JumboTron at Times Square in New York. • In 2015, Punxsutawney and members of the Inner Circle traveled to Indianapolis to participate in the March Madness college basketball bracket picking challenge against announcer Dick Vitale. • In 2023, Phil was inducted into the Meteorologist Hall of Fame by the Punxsutawney Weather Discovery Center’s Board of Directors. Where to watch live Visit PA: bit.ly/VisitPAPhilPrediction starting at 6 a.m. PCN: On cable TV or for free via PCN Select at pcnselect.com starting at 6 a.m. Many Pennsylvania local television stations will also stream the festivities on their websites and social media channels.   ...read more read less