Punxsutawney Phil's Groundhog Day: A Historical Review

The small, furry groundhog has a very big name: Punxsutawney Phil, Seer of Seers, Sage of Sages, Prognosticator of Prognosticators, and Weather Prophet Extraordinary. He also has a very big job that he does faithfully one day per year. He will predict if there will be six more weeks of winter, or if winter is over for the year.

February 2nd has been Groundhog Day in the United States since 1886, making Phil's hometown of Punxsutawney, Penn. the Weather Capitol of The World. If Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow, there will be six more weeks of wintry weather ahead, if February 2nd is a cloudy, overcast day and he does not see his shadow, it indicates that winter time is over.

The name Punxsutawney comes from the Indian name for the location in Pennsylvania. It is pronounced, ponksad-uteney, which means- the town of the sand flies.

How did people come about looking to the groundhog that was named for town filled with sand flies, for weather predictions, and naming a day of the year on the groundhog's behalf?

Superstitious German settlers brought a tradition with them to the United States, the tradition was called Candlemas Day, which occurs at the mid-point between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox, 40 days after Christmas. The German superstition was if it was fair and sunny on Candlemas Day, the second half of winter, or the next six weeks, would be cold and snowy. The German's who settled in Pennsylvania also watched for groundhogs on Candlemas Day, to see if the groundhog would see it's shadow. The superstition caught on and became an American tradition.

In addition to Germany and America, Scotland and England also celebrate the day their furry little friend will predict the weather for the next six weeks after February 2nd. Each country having their own sayings regarding the day. America's saying is, 'If the sun shines on Groundhog Day, half the fuel and half the hay'.The meaning of that saying implies that people will have only used half of the supplies that it will take to get them through the entire winter.

Punxsutawney Phil is reportedly over 100 years old now. Phil and his 'wife' Phyllis, live at the Punxsutawney Library in a climate controlled environment. Each year on February 2nd, Phil is taken to Gobbler's Knob, placed in a heated burrow, then pulled out at 7:25 am to make his annual Groundhog Day prediction.

It's a dirty job, but someone has to do it!

Sources:

http://pittsburgh.about.com/cs/punxsutawney/a/groundhog_day.htm
http://www.stormfax.com/ghogday.htm