Happy Groundhog Day 2010

Punxsutawney Phil is the only true weather forecasting groundhog. The others are just impostors.

How many “Phils” have there been over the years? There has only been one Punxsutawney Phil. He has been making predictions for over 120 years!

Punxsutawney Phil gets his longevity from drinking the “elixir of life,” a secret recipe. Phil takes one sip every summer at the Groundhog Picnic and it somehow adds years to his life.

The ceremony in Punxsutawney was held in secret until 1966, and Phil’s prediction was only revealed in secret to the Groundhog Club. Since then, Phil’s fearless forecast has been a national media event.

On February 2, Phil comes out of his burrow on Gobbler’s Knob–in front of thousands of followers from all over the world–to predict the weather for the rest of winter.

According to legend, if Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter weather. If he does not see his shadow, there will be an early spring.

Phil’s forecasts are not made in advance by some Inner Circle. After Phil emerges from his burrow on February 2, he speaks to the Groundhog Club president in “Groundhogese” (a language only understood by the current president of the Inner Circle). His proclamation is then translated for the world.

The celebration of Groundhog Day began with Pennsylvania’s earliest settlers. They brought with them the old Scottish legend of Candlemas Day, which states, “For as the sun shines on Candlemas Day, so far will the snow swirl in May…” or “If Candlemas Day is bright and clear, there’ll be two winters in the year.”

Phil started making predictions in 1887 and has become an American institution.

Punxsutawney held its first Groundhog Day in the 1800s. The first official trek to Gobbler’s Knob was made on February 2, 1887.

So the story goes, Punxsutawney Phil was named after King Phillip. Prior to being called Phil, he was known as Br’er Groundhog.