New York, USA (Weltexpress). Punxsutawney Phil has spoken. No, the infamous groundhog from the US state of Pennsylvania can’t talk, but he can make a correct guess. His prediction for the next six weeks is winter. Phil has predicted six more weeks of winter in Punxsutawney. This has been reported by a host of radio and TV stations.
For the divination, Phil, who weighs a whopping five pounds, was taken out of his burrow on Gobbler Knob Hill this morning.
Popular belief has it that if the marmot is afraid of its shadow and hides in its burrow, winter will last another month and a half. If the weather is cloudy and Phil cannot see his shadow, spring will come early, a spokesperson for the groundhog club announced.
‘I’m returning, there’s a shadow up here, so get ready for another six weeks of winter this year,’ he read out Phil’s prediction to the tens of thousands of people who had gathered for the ceremony.
Punxsutawney Phil has made this prediction 139 times, and only 20 times has he predicted the beginning of spring. According to members of the Groundhog Club, Phil drinks a magical elixir each summer that extends his life for another seven years.
Fox News notes that Phil’s predictions are only 39% accurate. The tradition of determining the arrival of spring based on the behaviour of the rodent was brought to North America by immigrants from Germany.
In the 19th century, the badger was considered the weather god in Germany. Since there are no badgers in Pennsylvania, the settlers entrusted this task to the trusty groundhog, whose full title is: ‘Seer of seers, wisest of sages, forebearer of foresight, and extraordinary weather prophet.’
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With material from TASS.
