Overview
- Phil is scheduled to appear at Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney on Monday around sunrise, with past predictions typically announced near 7:25 a.m. ET and gates opening to spectators at 3:30 a.m.
- The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club’s Inner Circle will reveal the shadow call before a crowd expected in the tens of thousands after a weekend of events including a Groundhog Ball and a talent show.
- NOAA reports Phil’s forecasts show no predictive skill, with recent accuracy around 30–40 percent, and an American Meteorological Society analysis found about 50 percent success across hundreds of groundhog predictions.
- Biologists note groundhogs are true hibernators and tend to stir in early February due to increasing daylight and mating behavior rather than any ability to forecast spring.
- Regional spinoffs continue, including Texas’ Bee Cave Bob the armadillo, Big Al the alligator, Prairie Dog Pete, and Buda’s honorary dachshund, as well as Georgia’s General Beauregard Lee and Yonah the groundhog.