It’s Groundhog Day – Do you know where the holiday comes from?

Today, February 2, 2024 is groundhog day. Groundhog day is thought to have started in the US by some German immigrants in Pennsylvania, who celebrated a holiday called Candlemas which was on February 2nd and entailed the thought that if a badger, emerging from its den, encountered a sunny day, thereby casting a shadow, it would mean four more weeks of winter.

The Pennsylvanians maintained the same tradition as the Germans, except that winter would be prolonged for six weeks instead of four. More recently, The largest Groundhog Day celebration is held yearly in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, where crowds as large as 40,000 gather each year to see Punxsutawney Phil to see if he sees his shadow. A tradition that started in 1887.

More locally, Jimmy the Groundhog will make his annual Groundhog Day winter weather forecast this morning in Sun Prairie. A tradition that has been going on there for 76 years.

Based on the forecast, the Sun Prairie area sky is likely to be 80% covered with clouds and in Punxsutawney, Phil did not see his shadow as the sky was cloudy. Tradition says if the groundhog doesn’t see it’s shadow, it will be an early spring, but with winter being as mild as it has been, does it really matter if we have 6 more weeks of it?