OK. This morning Punxsutaweny Phil, the nation's original weatherman, saw his shadow, indicating "six more weeks of winter". Think this through:
When you see shadows, it is a bright, sunny day. If you don't see shadows, it is cloudy and overcast. So, "sunny" equals more winter? What's with that?
February 2 is a middle point between Winter Solstice on December 21 and Spring Equinox on March 20. (Note to enquiring minds: Soltices and Equinoxes do NOT occur on the same date each year due to the nature of the Earth's orbit around the Sun. More here. And here.)
And forklore has it that if the midpoint of Winter is bright and sunny, the remaining weeks of Winter will be harsh and stormy. So ... Seeing a shadow on February 2 equals "bright and sunny" which equals more more harsh Winter weather to come. More here.
So, it is NOT that the critter himself makes the weather prediction ... its whether or not it is sunny enough for the critter to cast a shadow.
February 2 is also exactly 40 days after December 25. Ancient Jewish women celebrated a ritual purification exactly 40 days after the birth of a son. Mary, the mother of Jesus, would have celebrated this ritual on February 2, 40 days after December 25. More here.
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Cheryl - it's just the reverse psychology of weather prognostication, either that or any excuse for a party!
I love Groundhogs Day but it always confused me... it is often warmer when we have a cloud cover than it is when it is bright and sunny. If it is sunny he sees his shadow and that scares him back into his hole.
It started in Germany.... cold? The center of US Groundogdom is in PA among the PA Dutch... relatively cold area. I was exchanging emails yesterday with the owner of our official Ohio Groundhog. I never thought of a groundhog having an owner until she commented on a GHD blog post I wrote in 2007. I wanted her to tweet Buckeye Chuck's findings today. Chuck our official Ohio groundhog, saw his shadow as did the national GH, Phil in PA.
Always a fun day and a great movie.
So we get a extra six weeks. Spring is still just around 48 days away
Tony