OK. This morning Punxsutaweny Phil, the nation's original weatherman, saw his shadow, indicating "six more weeks of winter".
Think about that:
When you see shadows, it is a bright, sunny day. If you don't see shadows, it is cloudy and overcast. So, "sunny" equals more winter? What's with that?
February 2 is the middle point between Winter Solstice on December 21 and Spring Equinox on March 20.
And forklore has it that if the midpoint of Winter is bright and sunny, the remaining weeks of Winter will be harsh and stormy. So ... Seeing a shadow on February 2 equals "bright and sunny" which equals more more harsh Winter weather to come. More here.
In ancient Celtic traditions, the middle points between solticies and equinoxes were known as Cross Quarter Days and were celebrated as High Holy Days. February 2, the Cross Quarter Day betwwen Winter Soltice and Spring Equinox, was called Imbolc.
February 2 is also exactly 40 days after December 25. Ancient Jewish women celebrated a ritual purification exactly 40 days after the birth of a son. According to early Christian tradition, Mary, the mother of Jesus, would have celebrated this ritual on February 2, 40 days after December 25.
I'm not surprised we are going to have more winter. It's been miserably cold lately here in Manhattan. When its sunny its usually colder than when its cloudy, maybe thats why when the sun is out the groundhog is colder and cant wait to get back in his burrow.
Cheryl,
Those of us from Central and NW Pennsylvania decry attempts at analysis and steadfastly believe that February 2 is celebrated as a good excuse to drink all night and miss work.
Winter? It lasts until May there....
There is a second less famous Hog out in Staten Island who did not see it. I am going to go along with him! Morning Cheryl
@Paddy, proving that weather predicition is LOCAL, too, just like real estate. :-)
Hi Cheryl, there's more to groundhog day than groundhogs and shadows! Nevertheless, our usual sunny Florida is grey and rainy today so maybe at least winter here is about over?
Cheryl, it appears Punxsutaweny Phil may be right. We've had an unusually cold Winter there this year so far. The significance of this day in other cultures is interesting.
We have a local groundhog. Buckeye Chuck did not see his shadow. We are getting an early spring. Groundhogs are local... it's like real estate
Cheryl, I didn't know the folklore....I DID know he saw his shadow :( Not that I was surprised this year, mind you. I also heard they are thinking of stopping this Groundhog tradition with Phil---now calling it cruel. I think it's a pretty cushy once a year job :)