Pennsylvania awaits Phil’s annual prediction

He will be greeted by a large crowd when the sun rises Sunday morning on Gobbler’s Knob.

By the MVI

Groundhog Day is tomorrow, and this year will see another crowd of revelers making their way to Punxsutawney for the big event.

As is tradition, the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club will consult with the one and only Punxsutawney Phil, its official Groundhog Day groundhog, to determine whether or not he saw his shadow.

According to folklore, if the groundhog can see his shadow on Groundhog Day, it’s a signal of six more weeks of winter. If he doesn’t, then an early spring is on the way.

And speaking of early: the prediction happens around 7:20 a.m. in Punxsutawney every year. But celebrations start in the wee hours of the mornings that day, well before sunrise. There are also many events in the days leading up to Groundhog Day throughout Punxsutawney.

The holiday stems from a centuries- old Pagan and Christian tradition, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac. It is also known as St. Brigid’s Day.

German settlers brought the tradition to America, according to the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club. But before they made the trek to America, they checked to see if a hedgehog saw its shadow, not a groundhog.

Due to a lack of hedgehogs, the settlers began using another hibernating mammal: the groundhog.

The day eventually evolved into what we know it to be today. In 1886, Groundhog Day was acknowledged for the first time in Punxsutawney by a local newspaper, Weathers Wags, according to the club. In 1887, the first official pilgrimage was made to see Phil on Gobbler’s Knob while he made his predictions.

In 2025, 138 years later, Punxsutawney Phil is making his predictions to a sold-out crowd.

In 2024, Phil predicted we would see an early spring, and he was technically correct. Because 2024 was a leap year, winter was a day early, according to News-Press, a part of the USA Today Network.

Old Farmer’s Almanac predicts warm, rainy spring for Western Pa.

While Punxsutawney Phil will weigh in Sunday on Pennsylvania’s weather for the next six weeks, the Old Farmer’s Almanac is one step ahead.

The 1792 long-range weather publication predicts a warm, rainy season for the Keystone State.

Though temperatures are predicted to align with typical patterns in part of the nearby Ohio Valley, our state of Pennsylvania — along with much of the country — is expected to see a warmer-than-usual spring, according to the almanac.

Rainfall in Pennsylvania will align with or be slightly above average levels, the almanac predicts.

Between temperature and rainfall, the almanac claims conditions are prime for Pennsylvania gardeners — an assessment that goes back to the publication’s roots.

The Old Farmer’s Almanac was first published more than 200 years ago by Robert B. Thomas. As the title implies, the book was meant as a guide for farmers — offering predictions about weather patterns and corresponding planting schedules.

Unlike daily weather meteorologists, the almanac offers long-range seasonal predictions, suggesting whether temperature and precipitation levels will deviate from 30-year averages. The almanac says it compares solar patterns and historical conditions with current solar activity to make its determinations.

The almanac claims to accurately predict weather about 80% of the time.

However, the almanac conceded its 2024 winter forecast proved 64% accurate. And a University of Illinois study of the Farmer’s Almanac — a separate but similar publication launched in 1818 — noted a 52% accuracy.

But as patches of snow color front yards and ice chunks drift along rivers, Western Pennsylvania is not done with winter yet.

After several days of sub-zero temperatures and snow earlier this month, the Pittsburgh area has seen a reprieve from the icy conditions this week, with temperatures reaching into the 40s.