Pennsylvania — As a slight snowfall fell early Sunday in western Pennsylvania, Keystone State’s most famous groundhog revealed that warmer days are apparently to come. At dawn on Groundhog Day, members of the inner circle in Punxsutawney Phil’s top hat revealed that the groundhog declared, “Spring will come early, it’s a certainty.” “It’s not very common for Phil to predict an early spring, but the groundhog predicted a start to spring,” a meteorologist from a well-known medium said on Sunday. Dean added that Phil “doesn’t predict spring very often” and that Sunday’s prediction may be the 21st time in more than 100 years that the tender oracle has called for an early winter finale.
In the last five years, from 2015 to 2019, Phil has predicted six weeks more than winter three times and early spring twice. According to records dating back to 1887, the Pennsylvania forecaster has predicted more winter more than 100 times, making this year’s prognosis generally rare. This prediction was his number 134, according to the Pennsylvania Tourist Office.
I don’t know if this has happened two years in a row. This is epic. This is historic right now. The groundhog has spoken and we will experience an early spring, all, said the meteorologist.
Awakened by the chants of the crowd of “Phil!”, the groundhog was hoisted in the air for the assembly to greet before making its decision.
Happy Groundhog Day! While we can’t tell you whether Punxsutawney Phil will see his shadow, what we can tell you is that a very active weather pattern is shaping across much of the country this week. pic.twitter.com/DjT2SQOYOX — NWS WPC (@NWSWPC)
February 2, 2020
The National Environmental Information Centers of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said that Phil’s forecast of a “short winter” for 2019 was a bit bad, as much of the U.S. recorded average temperatures in February and March below average. However, several southeastern states saw the warmer February on record. While Phil thinks the warmer days are coming, AccuWeather forecasters predict “seasonal winter weather” at most locations across the country for the next six weeks.
