Groundhog Day, 2012

[Kris_Roth]

Tommorow, Feb. 2, is Groundhog Day, and the mid-winter celebration finding out whether or not Phil will see his shadow or not will be decided at Gobbler's Knob in Pennslvania.

Originally an old Germanic holiday called Candlemas, this strange custom to use a hibernating rodent to forecast the weather was brought over to America by German immigrants. Since in America, hedgehogs are not common, the next best rodent substitute would be the Groundhog/Woodchuck. In Ohio, we have Phil's cousin, Buckeye Chuck.

I think the saying is if the groundhog sees his shadow, spring comes early, and if it is too overcast to make a shadow, 6 more weeks of winter. Oh, and this year is a leap year, so we have 29 days in February. I hope I got the signs right for the shadow/no shadow groundhog forecast.

[Cece]

Not to be a naysayer, but you got it backwards. When he sees his shadow we get 6 more weeks of winter. Here's a Hog link to the official groundhog day website

[Kris_Roth]

Thanks for clearing up the myth behind the Groundhog day. Will Phil see his shadow, and forecast 6 more weeks of winter, or will he not see his shadow, giving us an early spring?

[Kris_Roth]

Phil the groundhog says six more weeks of winter. Buckeye Chuck says early spring.

[AshK]

Phil says 6 more weeks of Winter, and Gertie our Groundhog at Wildlife Prairie State Park in Peoria, Illinois says early Spring, though we really haven't had much of a Winter unless you live in Colorado.

[Carmilla]

Good news, I at least didn't get stuck repeating Groundhog Day.