What is Groundhog Day?

Answer 1

According to Groundhog Day folklore, if the groundhog emerges from his burrow and sees his shadow, winter will last another six weeks. If the groundhog does not see his shadow, then spring will arrive early.

Answer 2

Groundhog Day is a North American holiday where many believe that if a groundhog sees his shadow, winter will continue longer, and if it doesn't, that we'll have an early spring.

Answer 3

Groundhog Day is a North American holiday where many believe that if a groundhog sees his shadow, winter will continue longer, and if it doesn't, that we'll have an early spring.

The most well known celebration of Groundhog Day happens in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania where crowds wait for Punxsutawney Phil the groundhog to leave his burrow and predict the weather.

Of the 121 years of the tradition, Phil has seen his shadow 98 times, not seen his shadow 15 times, and 9 years were unaccounted for.

For more information about Groundhog Day, please see the related link below.

Answer 4

February 2 is Groundhog Day. If the groundhog comes out of its hole and sees it's shadow we are in store for 40 more days of winter. Goundhog Day is an example of predicting the weather based on folklore. The official groundhog is Punxsutawney Phil. The roots of Groundhog Day go back to the 6th century. February 2 is 40 days after Christmas and is Candlemas Day in the Christianity. On this day candles that are used for the rest of the year were blessed. This is also about the mid-point in winter, in weather not astronomical terms. Germans began trying to predict how long winter would continue based on the hibernation patterns of bears in this later part of winter. When some Germans settled in Pennsylvania they switched from bears to groundhogs which also hibernate.