Did Punxsutawney Phil see his shadow? See Groundhog Day origins, local traditions
When German immigrants came to the United States, they brought a weather-predicting tradition with them.
According to German lore, if a hedgehog saw its shadow on Candlemas Day in February, it forecast six more weeks of winter to come, The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club said.
Hedgehogs aren’t native to North America, so newly arrived Germans turned to groundhogs for their weather prognostications instead.
Here’s what you need to know about Groundhog Day:
When is Groundhog Day in 2026?
In 2026, Groundhog Day falls on Monday, Feb. 2.
What are the origins of Groundhog Day?
Canlemas Day began as a Catholic tradition in which people took their candles to church to be blessed and used through the rest of the year, according to The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club.
As time went by, the day took on a weather forecasting aspect, as mentioned in an English folk song:
If Candlemas be fair and bright, Come, Winter, have another flight; If Candlemas brings clouds and rain, Go Winter, and come not again.
While the song mentions no animals, the tradition became associated with hedgehogs in Germany, later transitioning to groundhogs in the United States.
The most famous weather-predicting animal, Punxsutawney Phil, resides in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. Groundhogs have been forecasting the end of winter there since 1886.
2026 will mark the 140th annual event in the community.
How does Punxsutawney Phil forecast work?
If the groundhog sees its shadow after emerging from hibernating in its burrow, it’s supposed to predict six more weeks of winter. If not, it’s said to predict an early spring.
In 2025, Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow, forecasting six more weeks of winter.
Did Punxsutawney Phil see his shadow in 2026?
Punxsutawney Phil was frightened by his shadow on Monday, signaling another six weeks of winter before spring arrives.
Are there other weather-predicting animals?
Yes. Many communities across the United States have their own Groundhog Day celebrations, according to Countdown to Groundhog Day.
In some cases, the groundhogs are taxidermied specimens.
Other weather prediction ceremonies center on different animals, including cats, guinea pigs, gophers and beavers.
How does Boise zoo observe Groundhog Day?
In Idaho, Zoo Boise relied on a plush prairie dog toy named Boise Bill to predict the end of winter from 2017 to 2022.
“For many years, Bill was a staple in predicting the weather in Boise,” the website Groundhog-Day.com said, noting that the plush prognosticator “retired” in 2023. “However, he is still on a several-year sabbatical.”
In 2024, Zoo Boise celebrated Groundhog Day with an Instagram post showcasing its black-tailed prairie dog colony.
“Happy Groundhog Day!” Zoo Boise said, sharing a picture of Penny the prairie dog. “These American plains animals are considered excellent ‘farmers’ because they encourage grass production and limit the growth of shrubby vegetation around their burrows.”
This story was originally published February 2, 2026 at 4:00 AM.
