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[h=4]The shadow knows: Furry forecaster Punxsutawney Phil predicts an early spring[/h]The weather-prognosticating groundhog did not his shadow as he emerged from his burrow.
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The 130th Groundhog Day celebration in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania was a giant party with good news for warm weather fans. Phil the groundhog predicted an early spring. VPC
Punxsutawney Phil in action.(Photo: Keith Srakocic, AP)
Get ready for an early spring. At least, that’s what Punxsutawney Phil says.
The weather-predicting<span style="color: Red;">*</span>groundhog<span style="color: Red;">*</span>did not see his shadow as he emerged from his burrow in western Pennsylvania at sunrise Tuesday, thus indicating springlike conditions sooner rather than later. Had he seen his shadow, legend has it, at least another six weeks of wintry weather would be in store.
Members of the top hat-wearing Groundhog Day<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Inner Circle announced the forecast<span style="color: Red;">*</span>just before 7:30 a.m.
“Take your jackets off,” shouted the announcer in the small town that has staged the ceremony for 130 years as he announced Phil’s cheery projection.
That said, flipping a coin<span style="color: Red;">*</span>is pretty much as accurate as Phil.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Since 1988, the furry forecaster has been "right" 13 times and "wrong" 15 times, as to whether the USA's temperature would be warmer or cooler than average in February.
And of<span style="color: Red;">*</span>the last 8 times that Punxsutawney Phil didn't see his shadow, he was "right" 5 times and "wrong" 3 times.
Based on past weather data, "there is no predictive skill for the groundhog during the most recent years of the analysis," according to a report released Friday by<span style="color: Red;">*</span>the<span style="color: Red;">*</span>National Centers for Environmental Information<span style="color: Red;">*</span>in<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Asheville, N.C.
According to the Associated Press, a<span style="color: Red;">*</span>German legend says if a furry rodent sees his shadow Feb. 2, winter will last another six weeks. If not, spring comes early.
GROUNDHOG DAY 20166 things you didn't know about Groundhog Day | 00:50It wasn't always Groundhog Day. See which adorable animal people looked to first for signs of an extended winter and other unusual facts. VPC
GROUNDHOG DAY 2016Five fun facts about Groundhog Day | 00:49Punxsutawney Phil did not see his shadow today, so an early spring is on the way. Here are 5 fun facts about Groundhog Day you may not know. USA TODAY
GROUNDHOG DAY 2016Groundhog Punxsutawney Phil predicts early spring | 00:53The 130th Groundhog Day celebration in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania was a giant party with good news for warm weather fans. Phil the groundhog predicted an early spring. VPC
GROUNDHOG DAY 2016Groundhog Day flashback: Groundhog bites mayor's ear | 00:31Jimmy the Groundhog made a dramatic prediction in 2015, biting the ear of the mayor he was supposedly whispering to during a Wisconsin ceremony. Newslook
GROUNDHOG DAY 2016Punxsutawney Phil 'indicted' over 2013 forecast | 01:24In 2013, authorities in Ohio issued an "indictment" of famed groundhog Punxsutawney Phil after he predicted an early spring, but winter rallied on in the Midwest. AP
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In reality, the AP reported,<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Phil’s prediction is decided ahead of time by the group on Gobbler’s Knob, a small<span style="color: Red;">*</span>hill<span style="color: Red;">*</span>located just outside the town for which he’s named about 65 miles northeast of Pittsburgh.
Records going back to 1887 show Phil has predicted a longer winter 102 times and<span style="color: Red;">*</span>an early spring just 18 times. There are no records for the remaining years.
Meanwhile, in Staten Island, N.Y., the borough's own version of the Pennsylvania prognosticator, Staten Island Chuck, agreed with his fellow forecaster. According to the Staten Island Advance newspaper,<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Chuck crawled out of his burrow at the same time in search for his shadow, to no avail.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Chuck<span style="color: Red;">*</span>made his prediction at the Staten Island Zoo.
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