Punxsutawney Phil Predicts An Early Spring

Punxsutawney Phil did not see his shadow on Groundhog Day. That means an early spring instead of six more weeks of winter - or so the story goes.

Members of the top hat-wearing Inner Circle announced the "forecast" at sunrise, just before 7:30 a.m. Tuesday in the Pennsylvania town.

Phil "predicts" the weather depending on whether or not he sees his shadow, in accordance with German folklore. In reality, Phil's prediction is decided ahead of time by the group on Gobbler's Knob.The tiny hill is located just outside the town for which he's named about 65 miles northeast of Pittsburgh.

Records going back to 1887 show Phil has now predicted more winter 102 times while forecasting an early spring just 18 times. There are no records for the remaining years.

The Germans believed that if a hibernating animal cast a shadow on February 2 - the Christian holiday of Candlemas - winter would last another six weeks. If no shadow was seen, legend said spring would come early.