Groundhog Day: Punxsutawney Phil Doesn’t See Shadow, Predicts Early Spring

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America’s most famous groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, did not see his shadow and predicted an early spring.

Pennsylvania’s most famous groundhog revealed at sunrise on Sunday morning that warmer days are expected in the upcoming weeks.

“Spring will be early, it’s a certainty.”

Sunday’s prediction is only the 21st time in over 100 years that the cuddly prognosticator has come out with a prediction of a short winter.

Over the past five years — from 2015 through 2019 — Phil has predicted six more weeks of winter thrice and an early spring twice. According to records dating back to 1887, he has predicted a longer winter more than 100 times, making this year’s forecast a rare one overall.

The annual event has its origin in a German legend that says if a furry rodent casts a shadow on Feb. 2, winter continues. If not, spring comes early.

Phil’s track record has only been correct about 39 percent of the time, but the discrepancy in poor forecasting can be attributed to his intended statement getting lost in translation.

UPDATE: Phil’s cousin Shubenacadie Sam made an opposing prediction, stating that the country is in for six more weeks of winter.