Punxsutawney Phil sees six more weeks of winter in 2018

Katey Ladika

Punxsutawney Phil, the “weather predicting” groundhog, saw his shadow, thus predicting 6 more weeks of winter on the 132nd “Trek to the Knob” this GroundHogs Day in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.

Brittany Mayer, News Manager

Today was the 132nd annual trek of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club in Gobbler’s Knob where Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow, indicating six more weeks of winter.

People gathered from around the country to celebrate Groundhog Day with Punxsutawney Phil in Gobbler’s Knob, Pennsylvania. Live music, dancing and fireworks were used to celebrate before the groundhog made an appearance.

A member of the Groundhog Club read the scroll picked by Punxsutawney Phil at sunrise,

“In groundhogese, he directed the president of the inner circle to his prognostication scroll, which reads:

Up early this morning,

Far from home,

Are you searching for,

the Philosopher’s Stone?

But even my best friends,

they don’t know,

is it an early spring,

or just more snow?

My faithful followers,

you’re hands and my paws are getting cold,

so here’s my forecast,

not lead, but solid gold.

I see my royal shadow,

six more weeks of winter to go.”

Thousands of fans had shown up to see Punxsutawney Phil give his prediction. The town of Punxsutawney was blocked off for the large crowd.

Buses were used to transport viewers from the Wal-Mart in Punxsutawney to Gobbler’s Knob to shop, dance and view fireworks before Punxsutawney Phil was taken from his home by his handler, Al Dereume.

For more information on Groundhog Day and Punxsutawney Phil, visit http://www.groundhog.org/visit-us/.