The US faces another six weeks of winter weather – at least according to the forecast of the famous marmot Punxsutawney Phil. At the annual “Groundhog Day” known from the comedy “Groundhog Day”, the groundhog was taken out of its burrow near the town of Punxsutawney in the state of Pennsylvania in front of thousands of onlookers this morning.
The rodent then saw its own shadow, according to the organizers, dressed in black coats and top hats. According to tradition, this means six more weeks of winter. According to tradition, if the marmot does not see its shadow, spring is about to start early.
However, the animal has only a very limited talent for meteorological forecasts: According to the US climate agency NOAA, Punxsutawney Phil has only been correct 40 percent of the time in the past ten years.
The “Groundhog Day” on February 2 of each year has a long tradition in the USA. The Punxsutawney Marmot Club has existed since 1887. The custom goes back to German immigrants who wanted to draw conclusions from marmot behavior when sowing began.
