Groundhog Day forecast: Could clouds impact Punxsutawney Phil's prediction?
Cloudy skies expected for Groundhog Day
It will be a mostly cloudy day in Punxsutawney this Sunday, so will that affect Phil seeing his shadow?
PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. - All eyes will be on the "Weather Capital of the World" this Sunday for Phil's big moment, but it appears the forecast may already be hinting at a spring prediction.
What we know:
The famous groundhog will give his weather prediction based on his shadow. If he sees his shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter.
However, a shadow requires some sun, and Punxsutawney is expected to see mostly cloudy skies during a brisk 30-degree morning.
Will the clouds be enough to keep Phil's shadow away and give us an early spring? Here's when you can tune in to find out:
Timeline:
Phil is expected to emerge around sunrise, which is currently at 7:25 a.m. on Sunday, February 2,
However, the day will be filled with events starting at 4 a.m. and lasting through the afternoon.
How to watch
You can watch the big reveal on the FOX LOCAL app or FOX 29's YouTube channel.
The backstory:
Groundhog Day originates from the Christian festival of Candlemas, a European tradition held on February 2 that uses a badger or hedgehog to predict the weather based on its shadow.
When German immigrants settled in Pennsylvania, they swapped the badger for a groundhog, because it was more common in the area.
The U.S. holiday appeared in a local newspaper in 1886, but the first official trip to Gobbler's Knob didn't happen until the following year.
How often is Punxsutawney Phil correct?
In short, not great. In the last decade, he was right 30 percent of the time. And, if you go back 20 years, he was right 40 percent of the time.
The Source: Information from this article was provided by the FOX 29 Weather Team.