When is Groundhog Day 2025? Will Punxsutawney Phil see his ...

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The history of Groundhog Day you may not know

Punxsutawney Phil has been making weather predictions in Pennsylvania since the late 1800s, but the tradition dates back a lot farther.

The greatest meteorologist is about to do his thing.

Punxsutawney Phil, the most famous groundhog in Pennsylvania, will soon make his call to decide if winter is coming to a close or if we'll suffer cold weather through mid-March.

Before we find out what Punxsutawney Phil's call is for the rest of the winter, let's learn everything you need to know about his big day.

When is Groundhog Day?

Groundhog Day is celebrated every year on Feb. 2. This year, it falls on a Sunday.

The annual event has its origin in a German legend about a furry rodent. It roots back to Candlemas Day in Europe with the Christian "festival of lights" that falls on Feb. 2, midway between the start and end of winter.

What time does Punxsutawney Phil make his call?

Punxsutawney Phil usually makes his weather call early in the morning. It typically happens after 7 a.m.

What is Groundhog Day? What if Phil sees his shadow?

Tradition says Phil seeing his shadow is a sign that the next six weeks will bring wintry weather.

If Phil doesn't see his shadow, it means an early spring.

Groundhog Day isn't scientific (in fact, Punxsutawney Phil's weather predictions are wrong most of the time).

If we're being honest, it even defies common sense. 

The legend is simple: The groundhog's shadow on Feb. 2 predicts the weather for the next six weeks, until the start of spring.

A sunny day means the groundhog will see his shadow — this is taken as a sign that the next six weeks will bring wintry weather. A cloudy day means the opposite.

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History of Groundhog Day: Phil's predictions of years past

Phil's first official shadow sighting came in 1887, followed by several years of no official recordings.

The first front page coverage came in 1908, when Phil saw his shadow. In 1913, John Frampton was the first to grab a photo for the newspaper of Phil spotting his shadow.

His longest stretch of seeing his shadow is 21 years, which came between 1913 and 1933. His longest streak of not seeing his shadow — two years between 2019 and 2020.

The only time he did not make an appearance came in 1943 during the middle of World War II.

He has seen his shadow the most, as he has predicted a longer winter 107 (77%) times before the 2024 prediction.