Main Holidays & Observances Groundhog Day 2025

At 7:25 AM ET on Sunday February 2, 2025 the world will discover
if Phil SEES HIS SHADOW predicting six more weeks of winter!

Get all the other Groundhog Day facts, info, trivia, history, e-cards,
celebrations, activities and more in our online guide to...

Groundhog Day : Can Spring Be Far Behind?

The custom of predicting future weather conditions based on animals dates back at least a thousand years, but using February 2nd to forecast a longer winter is more recent than that.

It was during the Dark Ages in Europe that this widespread superstition took hold. That was when peasants and farmers first noticed a strong connection between a bright, sunny, medieval Candlemas Day and long, dreary winter weather extending into the next 6 weeks:

If Candlemas be fair and bright, Winter has another flight.
If Candlemas brings clouds and rain, Winter will not come again.

With German farmers, meanwhile, it was the hedgehog that played a major role in a similar belief as they watched the hibernating animal come out of his burrow in late winter.

If the hedgehog saw his shadow on a bright, sunlit day he would quickly return to hibernate...and thus put the official stamp on a prediction of six more weeks of winter. German settlers later brought the old belief with them to Pennsylvania, replacing the hedgehog with the more common American groundhog.

And the rest, as they say, is Groundhog Day history.

In popular culture, the 1993 film comedy Groundhog Day was a major hit for star Bill Murray, bringing Punxsutawney Phil's popularity to new heights.

Another Groundhog Day fun fact? In 2014, February 2nd marked the first time that the Super Bowl and Groundhog Day happened on the same day. And for the second time in history it happened again -- in 2020!

Today, Pennsylvania-born groundhog Punxsutawney Phil is a minor celebrity. This sleepy groundhog may be the most famous weather forecaster in the USA.

Each year, the world's paparazzi hold vigil in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania on February 2 as America waits with frosted breath for Phil to emerge.

Worldwide, viewers can also watch the momentous event unfold live at visitpa.com during a Groundhog Day live streaming presentation.

So... can we count on an early spring or will there be six more weeks of winter?

Only Punxsutawney Phil's shadow knows...

also see -> Daylight Savings Time 2023

More about Groundhog Day around the Web:

Climate-Watch, Groundhog Day Special Report (shadow sightings back to 1887)

Groundhog Day E-Cards

Groundhog Day Lesson Plans, Games & Activities