Punxsutawney Phil Makes 2009 Groundhog Day Prediction, Differs from Other Groundhogs

As much as it pains me to say it, don't put away those winter coats just yet. We have six more weeks to go. That is, if you believe in groundhog weather predictions.

Punxsutawney, PA's famed groundhog Phil emerged this morning, on Groundhog Day 2009, to about 13,000 fans eager to see whether or not he would see his shadow. Before his prediction, Phil praised the Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl win before turning to more serious matters:

"Hear Ye Hear Ye

On Gobbler's Knob this glorious Groundhog Day, February 2nd, 2009

Punxsutawney Phil, Seer of Seers, Prognosticator of all Prognosticators

Awoke to the call of President Bill Cooper

And greeted his handlers, Ben Hughes and John Griffiths

After casting a joyful eye towards thousands of his faithful followers,

Phil proclaimed that his beloved Pittsburgh Steelers were World Champions one more time

And a bright sky above me

Showed my shadow beside me.

So 6 more weeks of winter it will be."

Phil isn't the only weather predicting groundhog. There's Jimmy in Wisconsin, Gen. Beauregard Lee in Georgia, Buckeye Chuck in Ohio and Chuck in Staten Island, NY. Both Gen. Beauregard and Staten Island Chuck disagreed and proclaimed an early spring. But despite the fact that there are other groundhogs predicting the weather, Punxsutawney Phil's fans hold firm.

"'Punxsutawney Phil is the only true weather forecasting groundhog. The others are just impostors," says Phil's official website.

And if his fans are to believed, Phil should be accurate: he's 120 years old! According to his website, Punxsutawney Phil has kept his youth from drinking the secret "elixir of life." He apparently takes a sip every summer at the Groundhog Picnic and gains seven more years of life.

The groundhog tradition is believed to have been associated with Candlemas Day. If the holiday was sunny, then there would be more winter. If it were rainy and cloudy, spring would be coming soon. The tradition is believed to have been brought by Roman legions to the Germans, who adopted it. They decided that if the sun appeared on Candlemas Day, an animal, such as a hedgehog, would cast a shadow, predicting six more weeks of winter.

Groundhog Day was first started by German settlers in Pennsylvania. According to Phil's website, the settlers decided that the groundhog was "a most intelligent and sensible animal" and if it saw its shadow on February 2^nd, it would hurry back to its hole for another six weeks of winter.

Since 1886, Phil has apparently seen his shadow 96 times and hasn't seen it 14 times. There are no records for nine years.

Though Phil's fame is, of course, known far and wide, he and his special day were given a great deal of attention by means of the Bill Murray film Groundhog Day in 1993.

Phil's Official website has a great deal of interesting facts about the day's celebrations and activities for kids, including coloring pages, ornaments and puzzles.

Punxsutawney Phil Official Website

Groundhog Punxsutawney Phil Proclaims Super Bowl Victory, Plus More Winter, New York Daily News

'Staten Island Chuck' to 'Punxsutawney Phil': Fugetaboutit!, Newsday.com

Georgia's Groundhog Predicts Early Spring, The Associated Press

Jimmy, Phil See Shadow, Associated Press

Donna Willis, Buckeye Chuck Makes Prediction: 6 More Weeks, NBC4i.com