Punxsutawney Phil Sees Shadow, Winter To Continue

***UPDATE: New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg was bitten by a groundhog on Groundhog Day. Watch the video here!
***

PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. -- The world's most famous groundhog saw his shadow Monday morning, predicting that this already long winter will last for six more weeks. Punxsutawney Phil emerged just after dawn in front of an estimated 13,000 witnesses, many dressed in black and gold to celebrate the Pittsburgh Steelers' Super Bowl victory the night before.

"There's significant buzz from the Steelers win and quite a few Terrible Towels floating from the crowd," said Mickey Rowley, deputy secretary for tourism in Pennsylvania.

The annual ritual takes place on Gobbler's Knob, a tiny hill in Punxsutawney, a borough of about 6,100 residents some 65 miles northeast of Pittsburgh.

Phil was as docile as usual, but the same couldn't be said for his grumpy New York City counterpart, Staten Island Chuck, who bit Mayor Michael Bloomberg during his annual forecasting ceremony on Monday.

"It nicked his hand," said Bloomberg spokesman Stu Loeser.

The groundhog, officially named Charles G. Hogg, drew blood from the billionaire, but Bloomberg was told there was no risk of rabies. The 2-year-old animal was born and raised in captivity and has had no interaction with other animals.

The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club announced the forecast in a short proclamation, in which Phil acknowledged the Steelers' 27-23 win over the Arizona Cardinals.

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According to German superstition, if a hibernating animal casts a shadow on Feb. 2 _ the Christian holiday of Candlemas _ winter will last another six weeks. If no shadow is seen, legend says, spring will come early.

Since 1887, Phil has seen his shadow 97 times, hasn't seen it 15 times, and there are no records for nine years, according to the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club.

Back in Pennsylvania, Rowley said the Groundhog Day festivities are the state's largest tourist gathering in the winter. And if Phil's forecast proves correct, it should bring even more tourists to the state.

"It's six more weeks of skiing," Rowley said.

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On the Net: http://www.groundhog.org

Comments

[Aquarius]

Serves him right. You'd probably bite if someone were grabbing at you, too.

[FreelanceMinion]

I was wondering when one of those glorified rats was going to get sick of the treatment and bite someone, figures its the New York City rodent.

[Emerald1943]

I felt sorry for the poor little groundhog this year! Hoisted up into the air while the crowd roars its approval..­..probably scared the poor little critter half to death!

As far as biting Bloomberg is concerned, he stuck his hand in the cage to try to take the corncob. Anyone surprised that the animal bit him??? What a stupid ritual!

[fair-n-square]

OMG that groundhog is sooooo cute!

just sayin.

[Suzique]

As we say here, see a shadow - six more weeks of winter; don't see a shadow - spring in six weeks. Like either is realistic. We usually have snow on the ground well into April and snow in the air until the end of May. I live in the Great Lakes Basin area.

[bjammin]

"The groundhog, officially named Charles G. Hogg, drew blood from the billionaire, but Bloomberg was told there was no risk of rabies."

What, to the groundhog?

[ChelseaC]

I think he's kind of cute!

[JZ735]

Fitting that Bloomie, who has hoisted Nannycrat idiotic regulations on New Yorkers, put the city in a frenzy of building high rises that benefited no one except those conniving banks, destroyed what was left of a middle class in NY, tried to hoist off one of his fellow Upper East Siders on NY State as a Senator and rules with an arrogance reserved for despots and petty tyrants got his comeuppance...

[timmmahhhh]

In the words of another Bill Murray character...ish no big deal.

[mabinog]

So should that picture be considered groundhog porn?

[Lefty83]

SUPERSTITION IS FOR LOSERS. I can't believe people actually take this rat seriously.

[JZ735]

Always a spoilsport contrarian in the bunch...relax!

[MakeAWish]

When are we going to give up this archaic practice? I put this into the same category as daylight savings time. It's usefulness has come and gone.

[KillgoreTrout43]

How does one know when a groundhog sees a shadow? Does he know it's his own? Stupid custom.

[Octoberluna]

Yeah that is one Freaked Out furry critter! Can we stop all this nonsense now...what about a robot rascal programmed to pop out annually and save the poor animal its annual heart attack.?!

[Clammyb]

The critter is a groundhog not a trophy, at least not yet, poor thing's toes are spayed he or she wants to get on the ground and out of that nut's hands. Sometimes I wish the animals would eventually take the earth back,-begging pardon for that comment in regard to the implied effect that would mean on reader's kids, I'd just like innocents treated fairly.

[justoverit333]

What a strange tradition. Poor guy.

[DrJohnnySkeptic]

D@mn you, Punxsutawny Phil... D@MN YOU to H3LL!!!

He is a cute little bugger, though.