"I WOULD HAVE HIM ON MY DESK EATING CREME PUFFS"

WEATHERMAN AT ODDS WITH GROUNDHOGS' 'PREDICTION'

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) On February 2*, 1925, forecaster Mitchell at the United States Weather Bureau here in the Nation's Capital, when asked about the prospect of "six weeks of wintry weather" based on the groundhogs** at the zoo scampering "back into their dugouts" after seeing their shadows this morning, said...

"If any groundhog could predict anything like that I would have him up here on my desk eating creme puffs."

In contradiction to the groundhogs' prediction, Mr. Mitchell states that "we are in for a spell of weather breathing of spring."

 JFK+50 NOTE

The front page headline adds, "Thinks Beast Is So Dumb He Doesn't Know Shadow."  Sounds like something President Trump might say.

On Sunday, February 2, 2025, Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow, so "the United States is set for six more weeks of winter."

*February 2nd is celebrated as Groundhog Day in the U.S. & Canada.  It is based on the Pennsylvania Dutch superstition that a groundhog emerges from its burrow in the morning of Feb 2nd & if he sees his shadow will go back into his burrow for another 6 weeks of winter weather.  If he does not see his shadow, it means an early spring.

Only 20 times from 1902-2024 has the groundhog reportedly NOT seen his shadow thus forecasting an early spring.

**Groundhogs, a.k.a. woodchucks, are rodents belonging to the group of large ground squirrels known as marmots.  They are found in the eastern U.S., Canada & Alaska. 

 SOURCES

"Did Punxsutawney Phil See His Shadow on Groundhog Day 2025?," by Rachel Dobkin, Newsweek, February 2, 2025, www.msn.com/

"Groundhog's Bad Weather Tip Strikes Forecaster As Hokum," The Evening Star, Washington, D.C., February 2, 1925, Chronicling America, Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/

 

 

Groundhog Day

Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania

Feb 2 2013

photo by Anthony Quintano

AN EARLY SPRING IS MY FORECAST

130TH TREK OF THE PUNXSUTAWNEY GROUNDHOG CLUB

Punxsutawney, PA (JFK+50) Germans, the first settlers of Pennsylvania, brought from Europe the celebration of Candlemas Day.  They said "For as the sunshines on Candlemas, So far will the snow swirl in May."

Their custom was to have clergymen bless candles and give them out to the people.  From Candlemas came Groundhog Day when a groundhog emerges from his burrow and if he sees his shadow predicts six more weeks of winter.

February 2nd, 1886 was the first date of this annual event, and this morning the 130th trek of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club to Gobbler's Knob was completed.

Punxsutawney Phil predicted an early spring in "Groundhogese"...

"The inner circle goes to great ends
To keep me abreast of latest trends
Down in my burrow I never get bored
Riding on my hover board
And I sure have fun flying my drone
But weather forecasting is my comfort zone
Is this current warm weather more than a trend?
Per chance this winter has come to an end?
There is no shadow to be cast,
An early Spring is my forecast!

Punxsutawney Phil, who is 22 inches long and weighs in at twenty pounds, is described by the Washington Post as "the world's most beloved and furry seasonal prognosticator."

Groundhogs eat greens, fruits and vegetables and drink very little water.  They whistle when alarmed and during courting.  They are very clean animals and one of the very few species which actually hibernate during the winter.

Although the lifespan of the average groundhog is from 6 to 8 years, Punxsutawney Phil is given a magical drink of punch every summer which extends his life another seven years.

SOURCES

"Groundhog Day 2015: Punxsutawney Phil sees shadow, predicts six more weeks of winter," by Angela Fritz, February 2, 2015, www.washingtonpost.com/

The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, www.groundhog.org

Groundhogday 2005

Photo by Aaron Silvers

http://www.mrchompers.net/

PUNXSUTAWNEY PHIL

GROUNDHOG DAY ROOTED IN HISTORY

Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania (JFK+50) Germans, the first settlers of Pennsylvania, brought from Europe the celebration of Candlemas Day.  They said "For as the sunshines on Candlemas, So far will the snow swirl in May."

Their custom was to have clergymen bless candles and give them out to the people.  From Candlemas came Groundhog Day when a groundhog emerges from his burrow and if he sees his shadow predicts six more weeks of winter.

February 2nd, 1886 was the first date of this annual event, but it was not until the following year when the trek was made to Gobbler's Knob here in Punxsutawney.

According to the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, Punxsutawney Phil was awakened from his burrow at 7:28 this morning by his handlers, John Griffiths and Ron Ploucha, and after seeing his shadow communicated in "Groundhogese" the following...

"Forecasts abound on the internet, But I, Punxsutawney Phil, am still your best bet, Yes, a shadow I see, you can start to twitter, Hash Tag: Six More Weeks of Winter."

Groundhogday 2005

Photo by Aaron Silvers

http://www.mrchompers.net/

Punxsutawney Phil, who is 22 inches long and weighs in at 20 pounds, is described by the Washington Post as "the world's most beloved and furry seasonal prognosticator."

Groundhogs eat greens, fruits and vegetables and drink very little water.  They whistle when alarmed and during courting.  They are very clean animals and one of the very few species which actually hibernate during the winter.

The lifespan of the average groundhog, a.k.a. woodchuck, is from 6 to 8 years, but Punxsutawney Phil (there has only been one in 186 years) is given a magical drink of punch every summer which extends his life another 7 years.

SOURCES

"Groundhog Day 2015: Punxsutawney Phil sees shadow, predicts six more weeks of winter," by Angela Fritz, February 2, 2015, www.washingtonpost.com/

The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, www.groundhog.org

Woodchuck Up a Tree

Ottawa, Ontario

Photo by D. Gordon E. Robertson (2008)

PUNXSY PHIL CARRIES ON 126 YEARS OF TRADITION

February 2, 2013

PUNXSY PHIL CARRIES ON 126 YEARS OF TRADITION

Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania (JFK+50) Will we have six more weeks of winter weather or is an early spring in store?

We found our answer this morning when a groundhog named Punxsutawney Phil crawled out of his burrow and due to cloudy conditions did not see his shadow thus predicting an early spring.

                Groundhog Day Ceremony
              Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania
               Photo by Aaro Silvers (2005)
               http://www.mrchompers.net

This tradition began 126 years ago today, on February 2, 1887, when a newspaper editor in Punxsutawney declared Phil the groundhog the only accurate weather forecaster in America.

The editor was a member of the local groundhog hunters club.

The idea actually came from Germany where on CANDLEMAS DAY priests gave out candles for the winter and based the number needed on the predictions of hedgehogs.

German immigrants in Pennsylvania brought the tradition to America but used groundhogs* because of their abundance in the region.

*Groundhogs, aka woodchucks, have short, powerful legs and thick curved claws which are great for digging.  

They have 2 coats of fur and live in the wild on the average of 2 to 3 years.  Groundhogs in protective captivity live up to 14 years. 

 The male groundhog actually comes out of hibernation in the middle of winter to search for a mate, then returns to his burrow until spring.

Thousands of people, approximately 30,000 today, come to Punxsutawney's "Gobbler's Knob" to witness PP's emergence from his burrow.

New England poet, Robert Frost, who participated in JFK's 1961 inauguration, wrote a poem about the groundhog titled "A Drumlin Woodchuck"....the 1st 3 verses are...

One thing has a shelving bank
Another a rotting plank
To give it cozier skies
And make up for its lack of size.

My own strategic retreat
Is where two rocks almost meet
And still more secure and snug
A two-door burrow I dug.

With those in mind at my back
I can sit forth exposed to attack
As one who shrewdly pretends
That he and the world are friends.