Despite the cold, tens of thousands of people attended the celebration, greeting the prediction news with applause and discontented shouts. This year, due to the severe cold, spectators were not allowed to take photos with the groundhog to avoid leaving it in the freezing temperatures for too long.
The tradition of consulting groundhogs for weather forecasts began in the 1880s with German farmers who observed the hibernating animals to determine the duration of the cold season. Today, thousands of people come to see Groundhog Phil. If he sees his shadow, winter, according to the predictions, will last for another six weeks; if not, spring will arrive earlier.
Similar events are also held in other cities across the United States and Canada. For example, Groundhog Chuck on Staten Island in New York also predicted another six weeks of winter. Initial results show an almost equal distribution of forecasts between "long winter" and "early spring," considering about a hundred similar events. Nevertheless, Phil from Punxsutawney is regarded as the authoritative voice nationwide.
