Jahoota
03-02-2009, 08:09 AM
http://images.smh.com.au/ftsmh/ffximage/2009/02/03/groundhog1_wideweb__470x459,0.jpg
The world's most famous groundhog saw his shadow on Monday, predicting the already long winter will last for six more weeks.
Punxsutawney Phil emerged just after dawn in front of an estimated 13,000 witnesses, in the bizarre tradition of a small Pennsylvania town that inspired a hit movie starring Bill Murray.
The forecast is based on whether the groundhog, after being woken from hibernation each February 2, can see his shadow.
If he does, spring is another six weeks away. If not, winter is over.
The annual ritual takes place on Gobbler's Knob, a tiny hill in Punxsutawney, a borough of about 6100 residents about 100 kilometres northeast of Pittsburgh.
A select group of handlers, known as the Inner Circle, don tuxedos and top hats for the event, which the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club's website says was first held in the 1800s.
The tradition has its roots in an old wives' tale brought by German immigrant farmers.
Meanwhile, New York's NY1 television reported that a rival groundhog did not see its shadow following unsuccessful attempts by Mayor Michael Bloomberg to lure the creature out of its shelter at a city zoo.
In Punxsutawney, the Inner Circle scornfully dismissed Bloomberg's photo opportunity.
"Punxsutawney Phil is the only true weather forecasting groundhog. The others are just imposters," the groundhog club said on its website.
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 club.
In reality, Phil doesn't see much of anything. The result is actually decided in advance by 14 members of the club's Inner Circle.
Punxsutawney's annual spectacle has become a tourist attraction and was the subject of the 1993 film Groundhog Day, in which Murray plays a television weatherman who is sent to Punxsutawney to cover the event and ends up reliving the day over and over.
AP/AFP
The world's most famous groundhog saw his shadow on Monday, predicting the already long winter will last for six more weeks.
Punxsutawney Phil emerged just after dawn in front of an estimated 13,000 witnesses, in the bizarre tradition of a small Pennsylvania town that inspired a hit movie starring Bill Murray.
The forecast is based on whether the groundhog, after being woken from hibernation each February 2, can see his shadow.
If he does, spring is another six weeks away. If not, winter is over.
The annual ritual takes place on Gobbler's Knob, a tiny hill in Punxsutawney, a borough of about 6100 residents about 100 kilometres northeast of Pittsburgh.
A select group of handlers, known as the Inner Circle, don tuxedos and top hats for the event, which the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club's website says was first held in the 1800s.
The tradition has its roots in an old wives' tale brought by German immigrant farmers.
Meanwhile, New York's NY1 television reported that a rival groundhog did not see its shadow following unsuccessful attempts by Mayor Michael Bloomberg to lure the creature out of its shelter at a city zoo.
In Punxsutawney, the Inner Circle scornfully dismissed Bloomberg's photo opportunity.
"Punxsutawney Phil is the only true weather forecasting groundhog. The others are just imposters," the groundhog club said on its website.
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 club.
In reality, Phil doesn't see much of anything. The result is actually decided in advance by 14 members of the club's Inner Circle.
Punxsutawney's annual spectacle has become a tourist attraction and was the subject of the 1993 film Groundhog Day, in which Murray plays a television weatherman who is sent to Punxsutawney to cover the event and ends up reliving the day over and over.
AP/AFP