Groundhog Day is Thursday, Feb. 2 and everyone wants to know: Will Punxsutawney Phil see his shadow at Gobbler's Knob? And what does it mean if he does?
According to folklore, a groundhog's behavior can predict the weather. A sunny day that allows the groundhog to see his shadow will send him scurrying back into his burrow, a sign of six more weeks of winter. A cloudy and therefore shadowless day is a sign of spring encouraging the groundhog to stay above ground.
The legend dates to early German settlers in Pennsylvania, who had a tradition that if the sun shone on Candlemas Day -celebrated on Feb. 2 in recognition of Christ's presentation at the Temple - the snow would swirl in May. The early settlers adopted groundhogs, which were plentiful in the area, as harbingers of the tale.
The country's most famous groundhog is Punxsutawney Phil of Pennsylvania.
According to the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, Punxsutawney held its first Groundhog Day Celebration on Feb. 2, 1887. The famous groundhog - there's been only one, according to club members, who credit secret "groundhog punch" for the creature's longevity - was originally named Br'er Groundhog but renamed Punxsutawney Phil after the British King Phillip.
So what do you think... Will Punxsutawney Phil see his shadow tomorrow? Are we in for another six weeks of winter?
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