The seer of seers, the Pennsylvanian prophet, and the wisest woodchuck around–haven’t you heard? Punxsutawney Phil has made his annual pilgrimage outside his den to deliver his forecast for 2024. 

Every year, on February 2, Americans and Canadians celebrate Groundhog Day. According to tradition, if Punxsutawney Phil, the groundhog named for the town in Pennsylvania in which the ceremony takes place, emerges from his burrow and casts a shadow, we will experience another six weeks of winter. 

According to the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, this bizarre tradition originates from Candlemas, an old Christian holiday. Candlemas celebrations involved the blessing of candles, and the weather of the day allegedly determined the coming season. If the weather was sunny on Candlemas, winter would continue, but if it was raining, spring would come sooner. When this holiday spread to Germany, the addition of a prophetic hibernating animal was introduced; however, it was a hedgehog rather than a groundhog. Only when the Germans migrated to the United States did the tradition take the form of the Groundhog Day we know today, thanks to the lack of hedgehogs native to the area.

This year, on Friday, February 2nd, Phil declared, in Groundhogese, “one thing the weather did NOT provide –is a SHADOW and a reason to hide” (Punxsutawney Groundhog Club). This means that an early Spring is soon to come, much to the delight of many STA students. 

Photo credits: https://reviewed.usatoday.com/lifestyle/features/groundhog-day-2024-products-early-spring