National News

Groundhog Day: 6 more weeks of winter

Posted: Feb 2, 2012 8:17 AM by CNN
Updated: Feb 2, 2012 8:20 AM

If you were hoping to be done with winter, Punxsutawney Phil had some bad news for you on Thursday.

After Phil was summoned from his burrow at Gobbler's Knob in Pennsylvania, observers proclaimed that "the prognosticator of all prognosticators" had seen his shadow.

"Many shadows do I see, six more weeks of winter it must be," a member of Phil's "Inner Circle" said as the crowd erupted in boos.

The celebration derives from a superstition that if the animal comes out of hibernation and sees his shadow, there will be another six weeks of winter. If he does not, the belief is spring will come early.

Much of the United States has seen an unseasonably warm winter, so Phil's prediction may come as a surprise to some.

How much stock would you put in this year's prognostication?

Here's what Phil indicated in the last few years, according to Groundhog.org:

2011: "No shadow, spring is near!"

2010: "Phil saw his shadow and told his prediction to new Inner Circle President Bill Deeley."

2009: "Phil saw his shadow and Inner Circle President Bill Cooper completed his final interpretation and retired at Gobblers Knob. It was 7:26 a.m."

2008: "It was 29 degrees. In front of one of the largest crowds ever at Gobblers."