The groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, has been participating in the Groundhog Day since 1886. It is believed that if Punxsutawney Phil, sees his shadow, it means that the weather will be stuck with six more weeks of winter. However, if he doesn’t, then it means a warmer weather approaches. It is uncertain on how the groundhog got the role of predicting the weather.
Though the origins are not very clear, the tradition started in 1887. It is believed to have originated in Europe. Ancient European weather lore in which a badger or sacred bear predicts the upcoming weather.
There are religious backgrounds similar to the Groundhog Day, called Candlemas Day. Both Groundhog Day and Candlemas Day are celebrated every February 2. In a study of the behavior, ecology and evolution of groundhog, it is found that these rodents can't tell us when the seasons will change.
People in Pennsylvania think that Phil is the real deal. He's the weather-forecasting celebrity that comes put every February 2. However, Punxsutawney Phil has been wrong 15 times since 1988. He is not the only animal that is known to forecast weather.
According to The Morning Call, Phil is immortal, he has been forecasting weather for more than 131 years. He is a part of a Groundhog club. The club is made up of local dignitaries responsible for carrying on the Groundhog Day.
According to Chicago Tribune, the Groundhog Day is like an adorable reminder that Science is essential. That the people could accept a forecast of a rodent about the change in the weather, but could not accept the evidence of climate change shown by scientists. And that scientific methods are an efficient way to uncover the nature’s truth. Groundhog Day may seem to be a very useless holiday but it could be a wonderful time to appreciate the beauty of nature.
