Groundhog Day 2013: Early Spring, Punxsutawney Phil Forecasts

UPDATE: Pennsylvania groundhog Punxsutawney Phil doesn't see shadow, forecasts early spring.

This Saturday, Punxsutawney Phil, a groundhog from Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, will emerge from its burrow to prognosticate whether we'll have an early spring or six more weeks of winter — as part of the Groundhog Day tradition. 

According to folklore, if it's sunny and Phil can see its own shadow winter will continue for another six weeks. Conversely, if it's cloudy and Phil is not able to see his shadow spring will come early. 

The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club is observing this year's Groundhog Day with a three-day celebration which climax is the Prognostication at Gobbler's Knob, where Phil will emerge from its burrow before an estimated live audience of thousands — and potentially hundred of thousands more through this year's live stream.  

Click here to live stream Groundhog Day 2013 

Groundhog Day organizers claim that Phil's forecasts are accurate 75% of the time. But a Canadian study of weather data say that the groundhogs' predictions are correct only 37% of the time.

However, this doesn't stop the "Inner Circle" — a select group of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club members recognizable by their tuxedos and top hats — from taking care of Phil and following the Groundhog Day tradition with fervor year after year.

Phil and the town of Punxsutawney were made famous by the 1993 film Groundhog Day, thanks to which the popular rodent appeared on MTV and even Oprah.