Groundhog Day 2015 is upon us again, ladies and gentlemen, and the forecast is in from the Weather Capitol of the World, a.k.a. Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.
Today marked that magical moment when Punxsutawney Phil emerges from Gobbler's Knob, and with the help of his handlers, answers the million-dollar question:
Will we have to endure six more weeks of snow, wind, ice, cold and other winter fun before spring arrives? Or will our reprieve come sooner?
Only Punxsutawney Phil and his shadow can say with clarity.
And he has done so, just moments ago. The verdict:
SHADOW! Winter will continue for six more weeks!!
Phil, who emerged from his burrow moments ago to find conditions just bright enough to spot a shadow - despite overcast skies - in Western Pa., has spoken.
According to folklore, this is all we need to know.
The appearance of Phil's shadow, unlikely as it seems given current atmospheric conditions and Winter Storm Linus, means winter will carry on.
Had Phil not seen it, spring would come early.
Alas. He has now seen his shadow 101 times and not seen it just 17 times since 1887 (the math is off due to years of missing records, apparently).
So will the great prognosticator to end all prognosticators be proven correct by a February/March 2015 that fall in line with his weather outlook?
Debatable at best. But really that's not the point.
The accuracy of the venerable rodent's prediction is secondary, of course, to the real purpose of Groundhog Day. Which is ... we have no idea honestly.
It's basically just a silly, light-hearted reason to get out there in the elements and appreciate the wondrous power, mystery and majesty of nature.
It's also the obligatory time of year to recite Groundhog Day quotes, and a great excuse to keep drinking after the Super Bowl if you're a Seahawks fan.
Really, you can't go wrong with an all-night outdoor party and a weather forecast from a creature named Phil, even if the winter blues get you down.
Groundhog Day marks the mid-point between the winter solstice and spring equinox, so if nothing else, even if Phil is correct ... winter is half over?
Check out this awesome Groundhog Day photo. What a spectacle.
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