Pennsylvania's Punxsutawney Phil “Forecasts” Longer Winter

Keep those winter coats on — Pennsylvania's famed Punxsutawney Phil groundhog has predicted six more weeks of winter.

Phil emerged from his lair in front of thousands of revelers around dawn Monday and was said to have seen his shadow.

A German legend has it that if a furry rodent sees his shadow on Feb. 2, winter will last another six weeks. If not, spring comes early.

In reality, Phil's prediction is decided ahead of time by a group called the Inner Circle on Gobbler's Knob, the tiny hill in the town for which he's named about 65 miles northeast of Pittsburgh.

Records going back to 1887 show Phil has predicted more winter 101 times while forecasting an early spring just 17 times. There are no records for the remaining years.

If it's any consolation, those hoping for an early spring can take comfort in another groundhog's prediction on Monday.

Staten Island Chuck in New York City didn't see his shadow.

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