A Tradition Rooted in Hope and Whimsy

This marks the 140th year that Phil has predicted the weather. While experts say he's only accurate around 30% of the time, the audience at Gobbler's Knob is always full of believers. Regardless of his eventual verdict, the crowd is just happy to see Phil, who is regularly met with screams and chants of his name.

"It's the only holiday with a destination," says Tom Dunkel, president of the Groundhog Club. "You can't go to Christmas or Easter or Halloween, but you can go to Groundhog Day."

Over the last 140 years, the events of Groundhog Day haven't changed that much, and the Groundhog Club works hard to preserve its rich history. "I think that's one of the things that makes [Groundhog Day] so endearing," Dunkel says. "It's always the same, and it's my job as president to keep it that way."

Phil's Prediction, Revealed

Much to the chagrin of thousands of attendees, Phil spotted his shadow and forecasted six more weeks of winter for 2026, marking the second year in a row of an extended winter prediction and the fourth winter in the past five years. While the majority of the crowd was disappointed, they likely weren't surprised. The morning temperatures at Gobbler's Knob sure hinted that the cold planned to stick around a while longer, hovering around 0-1 degrees Fahrenheit throughout the morning's festivities.

"I used to like winter...but it's cold," Dunkel says. "Unfortunately, [six more weeks of winter] happens about 80% of the time."

Make the Most of It

Regardless of how you feel about this year's prognostication, don't blame Phil. As President Dunkel says, he doesn't control the weather—he just studies it! And after this morning's news, he will go right back to studying weather patterns for next year. In the meantime, cozy up with a warm blanket and a good book and hunker down for a few more weeks of winter.