Punxsutawney Phil Livestream 2017: Watch America's favorite groundhog predict winter's end

Culture

Thursday morning, Americans will tune in to see Punxsutawney Phil predict the winter's end and spring's arrival. The Groundhog Day 2017 event begins Thursday, Feb. 2 at 6 a.m. Eastern and can be watched on a livestream here

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The festivities will air live until 8 a.m. Eastern.

As the saying goes, if the groundhog sees its shadow, then it will climb back into its burrow and there will be six more weeks of winter. If the groundhog doesn't see its shadow, then spring is said to arrive early.

This annual tradition brings out thousands to Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, to witness Phil's forecast on the season's changing. The event has been held in the Pennsylvania woods since Feb. 2, 1887. This year, Groundhog Day celebrates 130 years of weather forecasts. 

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In 2016, Punxsutawney Phil did not see his shadow, which is a rare occurrence. He has only predicted an early spring 18 times in 130 years, VisitPA.com states. The previous year, the groundhog saw its shadow, predicting winter would last a while longer.