Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow on Groundhog Day 2026.
This traditional event took place on February 2, 2026, signaling six more weeks of winter ahead according to folklore.

Event Details

Thousands gathered at Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, for the annual ceremony. Phil emerged from his burrow amid clear skies, spotted his shadow, and retreated—repeating his 2025 prediction of extended winter. This marks the 110th time on record he's forecasted more cold weather.

Tradition Explained

Groundhog Day stems from Candlemas, an old Christian observance tied to weather lore for crop planting. If the groundhog sees his shadow (due to sunshine), winter lingers six more weeks; no shadow means early spring. Phil's "Inner Circle" claims perfect accuracy, but trackers peg it at about 39%.

Other Predictors

  • Staten Island Chuck (New York): Often rivals Phil; in 2025, Chuck predicted early spring while Phil didn't—Chuck boasts ~80% accuracy per some records.
  • Regional groundhogs like Shubenacadie Sam, Wiarton Willie, and Fred la Marmotte also made 2026 calls, though Phil dominates U.S. headlines.

Accuracy and Trends

Phil has leaned toward longer winters recently: 2025, 2023, 2022, and 2021 all saw shadows, with early spring rare (just 21 times total). Meteorologists note actual spring arrives around March 20 regardless, dismissing the fun ritual's science.

"Punxsutawney Phil did see his shadow on Monday, Feb. 2, which means... six more weeks of winter are on the way."

TL;DR: Shadow sighted—brace for winter until mid-March per Phil, though science says enjoy the quirky tradition without betting the farm.

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