Dear Kid,
Well, that silly rodent saw his shadow and we’re in for 6 more weeks of winter. Sigh.
Groundhog Day tradition dates back to 1887, when the first groundhog was introduced in Punxsutawney. The editor of a newspaper of groundhog hunters from Punxsutawney declared Phil was “America’s only true weather-forecasting groundhog.” I was not in Punxsutawney then. In fact, I’ve never been to Punxsutawney, an oversight I will need to rectify one of these days.
Groundhogs (when they are not acting like meteorologists) typically weigh between 12 and 15 pounds, making them smaller than the Puppy. They whistle when they’re frightened or when they are looking for a mate.
Since 1887, Punxsutawney Phil has seen his shadow 102 times. According to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Phil has “no predictive skill.” But according to AccuWeather, Phil has been right 80% of the time. Which is probably more than most meteorologists.
Recent Comments