Toni Massey-Wheeler, a woman living in Bismarck, North Dakota, traveled over 2,000 kilometers to see Phil the groundhog predict the weather.

AJ Dereume, Phil's handler, lifts the groundhog before a crowd at Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.

Annually on february 2, Punxsutawney hosts a festival featuring music and food. During the ceremony, Phil emerges from his burrow. If the day is sunny and Phil sees his shadow, the groundhog considers it a sign of six more weeks of bad weather and retreats into his burrow. If the sky is cloudy and Phil does not see his shadow, he remains outside, signaling an early spring.

Surrounding Phil is a group of men in top hats and black suits known as the Inner Circle. The club President leans in to hear Phil whisper in "Groundhogese".

He then selects one of two pre-prepared parchment scrolls, one reading "long winter" and the other "early spring", to announce to the public.

Normally, fans have the opportunity to go on stage and take commemorative photos with Phil. However, his handlers stated that due to this year's severe weather, they could not keep "the prognosticator" outdoors for too long.

In the 1 degree Celsius cold, thousands still flocked to Punxsutawney, holding their breath for the moment Phil would emerge and deliver his prophecy.

This tradition began in 1886 with Clymer Freas, a local newspaper editor. However, Phil's global fame truly soared after the 1993 film "Groundhog Day", starring actor Bill Murray.

Dan McGinley, Vice President of the Groundhog Club, holds a scroll, standing next to AJ Dereume, who cradles Phil, with Tom Dunkel, President of the Groundhog Club, nearby.

This year, Phil predicted six more weeks of winter. As soon as the prediction was announced, disappointed boos echoed through the crowd.

Last year, Phil also forecast a prolonged winter. Since 2000, he has delivered similar news 20 times.

Punxsutawney Phil is a fun cultural tradition. Groundhogs in captivity live for approximately 10-14 years. Since 1886, many different generations of Phils have taken on this role. When one Phil passes away, another groundhog is replaced.

However, the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club always asserts that there has been only one Phil since 1886. They claim that each summer, Phil drinks a sip of "elixir of life" which helps "maintain his longevity and youthful appearance".

Dan McGinley, Vice President of the Groundhog Club, speaks about the significance of the holiday on stage.

Groundhog Day actually originates from Candlemas, an ancient European Christian holiday held on february 2, marking the transition between two seasons. Traditionally, the weather on this day was used to predict the start of spring, as an old English folk song concluded: "If Candlemas be fair and bright, winter will have another flight. If Candlemas brings clouds and rain, winter is gone, and will not come again."

This is why people believe that if it is sunny and a groundhog sees its shadow, winter will be prolonged; conversely, if it is cloudy, spring is just around the corner.

According to the US National Weather Service, European folklore traditionally observed hibernating animals like bears or wild boars to predict when spring would arrive.

When German immigrants arrived in Pennsylvania in the 18th century, they brought this unique custom with them. Since they could not find wild boars locally, they decided to choose the groundhog, a common native animal, as a substitute.

Despite being the most famous prognosticator, Phil is not the only animal known for weather prediction. In 2025, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) ranked the accuracy of 19 weather-forecasting mascots. The results showed that Staten Island Chuck claimed the top spot with an 85% accuracy rate, while Phil ranked 17th out of 19, with an accuracy rate of only 35%.

However, whenever Phil makes an incorrect forecast, the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club often explains that the reason is that the interpreter of "Groundhogese" misunderstood his meaning.

Attendees watch fireworks during the festival.

"We know it's silly, but it's also fun," shared Marcy Galando, Executive Director of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club. "We want everyone to come here with a sense of humor."

Hong Hanh (Photos: Reuters)