Punxsutawney Phil made his annual appearance this year at Gobbler’s Knob in Pennsylvania. Awakened at 7:30 am, Phil took a look at his shadow and communicated to the president of the Inner Circle that six more weeks of winter would prevail. 

   Over 5,000 people, enduring the freezing temperatures, stood waiting at sunrise for the appearance of the famed groundhog. Since 1886, Phil has been predicting weather from his home in Gobbler’s Knob, and the tradition has been maintained by a group of dedicated individuals referred to as the Inner Circle.

   Evolving from a Christian holiday called Candlemas, the tradition combined with German folklore and customs to create the Groundhog Day known today. The President of the Inner Circle, Jeff Lund, has been a member of the organization since 1990, and, according to the Inner Circle Beliefs, is the only one who can understand groundhogese, the language spoken by Phil. 

   Many other fantastical traditions surround the organization as well. According to the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, Phil has been alive since he began making predictions in 1886. They say that he drinks an elixir that grants him seven years of life. 

   “There has only been one Punxsutawney Phil. He has been making predictions since 1886!  Punxsutawney Phil gets his longevity from drinking the “elixir of life,” a secret recipe,” The Groundhog Club states.

   Additionally, the organization maintains that Phil’s predictions are 100% accurate. Although many question the accuracy of Phil’s prediction, the Inner Circle insists that Phil’s meteorological abilities are guaranteed. A thorough dive into Phil’s predictions reveals that Phil is only accurate about 39% of the time. Unfortunately for believers of the tradition, the flip of a coin may be a more accurate way to predict the weather to come.

   “Phil says any day above ground, shadow or no shadow, is a good day,” President Jeff Lundy offers. Regardless of Phil’s prediction, spring and warmer weather is just around the corner.