Groundhog Day

Barbara J. Feldman

Groundhog Day folklore says if Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow when he comes out of his burrow on February 2, there will be six more weeks of winter. If it is overcast, and the groundhog does not see his shadow, then spring must be near. How accurate is the furry rodent? Visit the following sites to find out.

Groundhog Day: Is it Spring Yet?

3 stars

"The lowly groundhog, often called a woodchuck, is the only mammal to have a day named in his honor." This Wilstar page includes Groundhog Day history, a word search puzzle, and a short list of Groundhog Day links. Best bet is the twenty-six page printable SkyWatch PDF, for middle school and up, devoted to weather lore and sayings. "If February brings drifts of snow, there will be good summer crops to hoe."

Groundhog.org

3 stars

The guys in the top hats at the Punxsutawney Groundhog Day celebrations are the Inner Circle of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club. They are the local dignitaries who run the annual event, and this is their official website. Don't leave without reading the FAQs, which cover Groundhog Day History, Past Predictions and Fun Facts About Groundhogs. "A groundhog can whistle when it is alarmed. Groundhogs also whistle in the spring when they begin courting."

Punxsutawney Phil

5 stars

Punxutawney Phil is the one and only weather forecasting groundhog of Punxutawney, PA. This official site outlines all the local Groundhog Day festivities. Best clicks are those in Interactive Fun (where you will find e-postcards and unique groundhog games) and the Photo Gallery (for audio and video clips, as well as photos.)

Stormfax: Groundhog Day History

4 stars

"When German settlers arrived in the 1700s, they brought a tradition known as Candlemas Day, which has an early origin in the pagan celebration of Imbolc. It came at the mid-point between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox. Superstition held that if the weather was fair, the second half of Winter would be stormy and cold." In addition to a great history of the holiday, this Stormfax site lists all of Punxsutawney Phil's predictions going back to 1887. And in case you were wondering, his accuracy is pretty bad. His predications have been correct only 39% of the time.