Punxsutawney Phil Forecasts Extended Winter for 2026

PUNXSUTAWNEY, PENNSYLVANIA - Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow on February 2, 2026, at approximately 7:25 a.m. EST, predicting six more weeks of winter. The groundhog emerged before a crowd of over 30,000 attendees during the annual Groundhog Day festivities in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. According to tradition, if Phil sees his shadow, it signifies an extended winter; if not, it indicates an early spring.

Groundhog Day originated as an 18th-century Pennsylvania German custom, influenced by ancient European weather lore involving a badger or sacred bear as a prognosticator, as noted by the National Weather Service. The holiday aligns with Candlemas, a Christian observance where clear skies were believed to foretell a prolonged winter, while cloudy skies suggested an early end to the season. German settlers in Punxsutawney adapted the tradition, substituting the groundhog for the badger used in their homeland.

In 1886, Clymer H. Freas, city editor of the Punxsutawney Spirit newspaper, formalized the event by establishing the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club and declaring Punxsutawney Phil the official weather-forecasting groundhog. Phil's fame grew rapidly, with global media coverage of his predictions. Today, the celebration draws large crowds, though groundhog meat is no longer commonly consumed.

Punxsutawney Phil resides in Young Township near Punxsutawney, a town of approximately 5,700 people northeast of Pittsburgh. According to the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club’s lore, Phil has predicted the weather since 1886 and maintains immortality by drinking an "elixir of life" each summer.

Phil's accuracy is not flawless. A 2023 report by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Centers for Environmental Information states, "Even though he’s been forecasting since 1887, Phil’s track record for the entire country isn’t perfect. To determine just how accurate he is, we’ve compared U.S. national temperatures with Phil’s forecasts. On average, Phil has gotten it right 40% of the time over the past 10 years."

The first day of spring in 2026 is scheduled for Friday, March 20, at 10:46 a.m. EDT, according to the Farmers Almanac.