According to Punxsutawney Phil, the groundhog, Americans should brace themselves for six more weeks of winter. The country’s favorite underground rodent eagerly attended to his duties on Feb. 2, where he greeted a crowd of onlookers in Gobbler’s Knob, Pennsylvania. It was there that Phil saw his shadow, indicating winter will continue for another six weeks.

Among those present was Granite School District’s very own Brett Bawden. Bawden, the principal of William Penn Elementary School, took to social media to share his thoughts on the experience. 

“Boys and girls, this is Mr. Bawden reporting from Gobbler’s Knob,” Bawden said in a video posted to the Granite School District’s Facebook page. “Now, Phil had to go back to sleep—he already came out earlier. It’s so cold here…it was negative 8 degrees earlier and Phil saw his shadow…. [that means] there’s six more weeks of winter.”

The Gobbler’s Knob groundhog tradition is one that traces back to 1886. This was the first time the event was ever formally recorded after appearing in the local newspaper. The subsequent year resulted in the first official trek back to Gobbler’s Knob. Each year, since then, the tradition has been met with steadily growing crowds. Many travelers come from all over the country, and even the world, to bear witness to Phil. 

Groundhog Day is a tradition that began in the United States thanks to German settlers in Pennsylvania. Those settlers brought with them the tradition of “Candelmas” which has historically revolved around weather forecasting. In Germany, people performed the same ceremony as they do in Gobbler’s Knob, however, in Germany, animals like hedgehogs were used instead. When the tradition transitioned stateside, the use of groundhogs was adopted.

The first Groundhog Day was initiated by newspaper editor Clymer Freas, who persuaded local Punxsutawney businessmen and hunters, known collectively as “The Groundhog Club” to engage in the tradition. The men then trekked to Gobbler’s Knob, where the inaugural groundhog was selected to become the bearer of bad news if his shadow was seen.

Currently, these responsibilities are now overseen by local dignitaries known as the Inner Circle. Its members wear top hats as they conduct the official proceedings in Pennsylvania Dutch dialect, speaking to Phil in what they refer to as “Groundhogese.”

Every Feb. 2, roughly 5,500 people visit Gobbler’s Knob to partake in the festivities. The theatrical, humorous and heavily ritualized event has gone on to become a staple in American culture, even inspiring the 1993 film “Groundhog Day.” 

If you’re wondering about the accuracy of the annual event, the results show a dismal rate of success. Studies by the National Climatic Data Center and Canadian weather services indicate that the success rate for Punxsutawney Phil sits at around 50%. Ironically, Staten Island Chuck, a resident of the Staten Island Zoo in Staten Island, New York has a far higher success rate in his own annual celebration. Chuck is reportedly accurate almost 80% of the time.

Still, Punxsutawney Phil remains a cultural icon, delighting those like Bawden who make the trek to Gobbler’s Knob to partake in, and enjoy, the festivities. While Phil may have forecasted six more weeks of winter on the horizon, only time will tell whether the groundhog’s prediction will come to pass.