What if groundhog sees shadow

Phil will climb up out of his burrow during the rough midway point of astronomical winter at a. ET Tuesday to see what he can see, or not see. Weather conditions can play a role in his verdict. According to the legend, if the groundhog sees his shadow, then there will be six more weeks of winter. But if he doesn't, then an early spring and above-average temperatures are on the way.

Of course, even the organizers of the annual Groundhog Day event in western Pennsylvania acknowledge that turning to a large rodent for weather forecasting is mostly a way to break up winter monotony. This year's event will be different since no attendees or guests are allowed due to the COVID pandemic.

Winter Storm Orlena will still be impacting the Northeast when Phil makes his verdict on Tuesday morning. Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, is expected to have lingering cloud cover, gusty winds and possibly even snow showers. According to an old English rhyme:. Winter will have another bite.

If Candlemas Day brings cloud and rain,. Winter is gone and will not come again. In Germany, people would apparently put the theory to the test by checking if a hedgehog or a badger saw its shadow when waked. And when German immigrants came to America, they brought their tradition with them - though thankfully for the people doing the predicting, they decided to go with groundhogs instead. By , the newspaper The Punxsutawney Spirit had given the day its Groundhog Day title, and a year later the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club was created.

Who does the predicting? According to the members of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, Punxsutawney Phil does the predictions every year. As far as their track record: as of last year, the predictions to come out of Punxsutawney are accurate around 39 percent of the time.

In , the celebration went virtual and we were there. In other words, we got up early to watch the show! Punxsutawney Phil predicted:. Read more about the ancient Celtic calendar here. The celebration of Imbolc signaled that the Sun was halfway through its advance towards the spring equinox, and the season of new birth and light was on the horizon.

This day has also been called St. Although it is distinct from Imbolc, the Christian festival of light Candlemas is also observed at this time of year February 2. The name refers to the candles lit that day in churches, which celebrate the presentation of the Christ Child in the temple of Jerusalem.

Groundhog Day has a rich history based on a deeper meaning; it speaks to the triumph of spring over winter—and birth over death. Again, note the appearance of light over dark with the appearance of candles and dawn—and, of course, the spiritual light of a holier presence. So how does the groundhog fit into this ancient festival? In the s, German immigrants to Pennsylvania brought their Candlemas legends with them.

Finding no badgers but lots of groundhogs also called woodchucks or whistlepigs , they adapted the New World species to fit the lore. Today, that lore has grown into fun winter festivals, with Punxsutawney Phil and furry fellows in other states presiding.

Since the traditional celebration anticipated the planting of crops, a central focus of the festivities was the forecasting of either an early spring or a lingering winter. Our Groundhog Day is a remote survivor of that belief. Want to see more accurate planting dates? Check out our Planting Calendar to find dates for starting seeds, transplanting, and harvesting in your area. If Candlemas [February 2] be mild and gay, Go saddle your horses and buy them hay; But if Candlemas be stormy and black, It carries the winter away on its back.

The groundhog, also known as a woodchuck or whistlepig, typically makes its home in the brambles and thickets that grow where forests meet fields.

There, it digs burrows between 4 and 6 feet deep and up to 40 feet long—removing as much as pounds of dirt in the process. Like its squirrel relatives, the groundhog eats leaves, grass, flowers, bark, and twigs and climbs trees to reach tender buds or fruit. This furry animal will also go after just about any crop, favoring beans, peas, and carrot tops. It may even take a bite out of every squash or pumpkin in a row, instead of consuming just one.

See how to deter groundhogs in the garden. But the mischief-maker is not all nuisance. Its burrows allow air and water to penetrate the soil and, when abandoned, they become homes for opossums and other small animals.

The groundhog itself serves as food for larger creatures, such as bobcats, foxes, and wolves. With hungry predators on the prowl, it takes courage for a groundhog to emerge from its hole every February to make its forecast. It must take its job very seriously! Photo by Brain E. The word you use is more of a reflection of where you live.