Groundhog Day 2012: Punxsutawney Phil, Staten Island Chuck And More Animals Predict The Weather

Punxsutawney Phil hold perhaps the greatest responsibility of any groundhog. Not to exaggerate the situation, but on Groundhog Day, the fate of the weather rests in his hands.

Every February 2 for over 125 years, a groundhog named Phil emerges from his burrow on Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania to predict the weather for the rest of the winter season. Legend has it that if Phil sees his shadow, then there will be six weeks of more winter weather. If he doesn't see his shadow, spring will come early.

UPDATE 7:30: Punxsutawney Phil predicts 6 more weeks of winter.

As the Los Angeles Times points out, "Oddly enough, bad weather on Groundhog Day is better than good weather." There are many other groundhogs aside from Phil out there predicting the weather this February, including Staten Island Chuck in New York and Sir Walter Wally in North Carolina.

The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club website writes 'The celebration of Groundhog Day began with Pennsylvania's earliest settlers. They brought with them the legend of Candlemas Day, which states, "For as the sun shines on Candlemas Day, so far will the snow swirl in May...'"

Check out this list of 10 Groundhog Day facts, and click here to check out photos from past celebrations and SCROLL DOWN FOR UPDATES from this year's celebration.