If the groundhog “sees his shadow” on Groundhog Day, the old folklore says we’re in for six more weeks of winter.

What it means in simple terms

  • February 2 is Groundhog Day, mainly celebrated in the U.S. and Canada.
  • The idea is:
    1. Groundhog comes out of its burrow.
2. If it sees its shadow (usually because it’s sunny), it gets “scared,” goes back into the burrow, and that’s taken as a sign of six more weeks of winter.

3. If it doesn’t see its shadow (cloudy day), that’s supposed to mean an early spring is coming.

A bit of background

  • The custom comes from a Pennsylvania Dutch superstition, itself related to older European Candlemas weather lore.
  • Punxsutawney Phil in Pennsylvania is the most famous groundhog used for this “forecast.”
  • It’s mostly for fun and tradition; Phil’s long‑term accuracy is low and not considered real meteorology.

So: if he sees his shadow → “longer winter,” if he doesn’t → “early spring,” all as part of a lighthearted seasonal tradition.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.