Groundhog Day forecast: Punxsutawney Phil predicts early spring

From: http://www.nydailynews.com
Thousands gathered in Gobbler's Knob, Pennsylvania to see whether the famous groundhog would see his shadow. Legend has it that if Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow on Feb. 2, winter will last six more weeks. If he doesn't see his shadow, spring will come early.

In this Feb. 2, 2012 file photo, Groundhog Club handler Ron Ploucha holds Punxsutawney Phil, the weather prognosticating groundhog, during the 126th celebration of Groundhog Day on Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney, Pa. Legend has it that if the groundhog sees his shadow on Feb. 2, winter will last six more weeks. No shadow means an early spring.

PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. — Punxsutawney's famous groundhog predicts spring will come early this year.

With thousands watching on Gobbler's Knob in west-central Pennsylvania, Punxsutawney Phil emerged from his lair Saturday but didn't see his shadow.

Jon Lovitch of the Bronx, New York waits in the cold for the weather-prognosticating groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, to make his annual prediction on Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, on the 127th Groundhog Day Feb. 2, 2013.

Legend has it that if the furry rodent sees his shadow on Feb. 2, winter will last six more weeks. But if he doesn't see his shadow, spring will come early.

Katie Wolf of South Bound Brook, New Jersey waits for the weather-prognosticating groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, to make his annual prediction on Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, on the 127th Groundhog Day Feb. 2, 2013.

The prediction is made during a ceremony overseen by a group called the Inner Circle. Members don top hats and tuxedos for the ceremony on Groundhog Day each year.

Bill Deeley, president of the Inner Circle, says that after "consulting" with Phil, he makes the call in deciphering what the world's Punxsutawney Phil has to say about the weather.

Fred Ungar (L) of York, Pennsylvania and Barry Edwards of Lancaster, Pennsylvania joke around while waiting for the weather-prognosticating groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, to make his annual prediction on Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, on the 127th Groundhog Day Feb. 2, 2013.

Phil is known as the "seer of seers" and "sage of sages." Organizers predicted about 20,000 people this weekend, a larger-than-normal crowd because Groundhog Day falls on a weekend this year.

Jason Grusky, also known as The Big Chill and a member of the Inner Circle of the Groundhog Club, wears a thermometer showing the current low temperatures on the 127th Groundhog Day in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, Feb. 2, 2013, as crowds wait for the weather-prognosticating groundhog Punxsutawney Phil on Gobbler's Knob.

Phil's got company in the forecasting department.

There's Staten Island Chuck, in New York; General Beauregard Lee, in Atlanta; and Wiarton Willie, in Wiarton, Ontario, among others noted by the National Climactic Data Center "Groundhog Day" Web page.

Pam Markin of Dallas, Texas, waits for Punxsutawney Phil to come out from his winter den during the 127th Groundhog Day Celebration at Gobbler's Knob on Feb. 2, 2013 in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.

"Punxsutawney can't keep something this big to itself," the Data Center said. "Other prognosticating rodents are popping up to claim a piece of the action."

A crowd surround a fire to keep themselves warm during the 127th Groundhog Day Celebration at Gobbler’s Knob on Feb. 2, 2013 in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.

Phil is the original — and the best, Punxsutawney partisans insist.

"We welcome them all. We like the competition," Deeley said this week.

The 1993 movie "Groundhog Day" starring Bill Murray brought even more notoriety to the Pennsylvania party. The record attendance was about 30,000 the year after the movie's release, said Katie Donald, executive director of the Groundhog Club. About 13,000 attend if Feb. 2 falls on a weekday.