Punxsutawney Phil, Pennsylvania’s renowned “official state meteorologist,” made his annual weather prediction on Monday by spotting his shadow, signaling six more weeks of winter.
A large crowd gathered at Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, for the 140th Groundhog Day celebration to witness the iconic groundhog emerge from his burrow.
Concurrently, Paul Pastelok, AccuWeather’s chief long-range weather expert, forecasted that the upcoming week will continue to experience cold conditions, with temperatures expected to remain below average across the eastern United States.
“We are anticipating more snow and ice challenges, particularly in the mid-Atlantic, Ohio River Valley, and Northeastern U.S.,” Pastelok explained.
In a notable moment, Groundhog Club handler A.J. Dereume presented Punxsutawney Phil, the famed weather-predicting groundhog, during the 137th Groundhog Day festivities at Gobbler’s Knob on February 2, 2023. (AP Photo/Barry Reeger, File)
Pastelok also noted that while long-range forecasts aren’t always precise, they can effectively indicate weather trends. “The further out we forecast, the less pinpoint accuracy we achieve, but we can still identify trends,” he elaborated.
While Phil made his annual prognostication, the National Centers for Environmental Information remains a skeptic of the animal’s prediction ability. The government agency last year compared Phil’s record with U.S. national temperatures over the prior decade and concluded he was right only 40% of the time.
Groundhog Club handler A.J. Dereume holds Punxsutawney Phil, the weather prognosticating groundhog, during the 140th celebration of Groundhog Day on Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney, Pa., Monday, Feb. 2, 2026. Phil’s handlers said that the groundhog has forecast six more weeks of winter. (AP Photo/Barry Reeger)
Among the political figures drawn to the Gobbler’s Knob stage on Monday was U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick, who noted his mother was from Punxsutawney. Also spotted were state Treasurer Stacy Garrity, who is currently pursuing the governorship, and top state Senate Republicans Joe Pittman and Kim Ward.
Groundhog Club President Tom Dunkel taps on the burrow of Punxsutawney Phil, the weather prognosticating groundhog, during the 140th celebration of Groundhog Day on Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney, Pa., Monday, Feb. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Barry Reeger)
While Groundhog Day is considered a national holiday and has even been popularized in the classic 1993 Bill Murray film of the same name, the day — and Phil himself — hold a special place in many Pennsylvanians’ hearts.
