Although he is not the most accurate seasonal prognosticator, we would be remiss not to honor the longest-running weather-forecasting groundhog in the United States, Punxsutawney Phil. A beloved national celebrity, legend has it that he has been prophesying when spring would arrive from his burrow on Gobler’s Knob since 1887. Phil's accuracy was just 35% f rom 2005 to 2024, according to data compiled by NOAA. Here's when Groundhog Day began: The first mention of Groundhog Day came in 1886 in Punxsutawney. NOAA released a study of Groundhog Day predictions and found Punxsutawney Phil to be the 17th most accurate groundhog in the United States. But over the last 10 years, the groundhog has been correct only two other times: 2020 and 2015, resulting in an accuracy rate of 30%. In fairness to Phil, climatology isn't for the faint of heart. If Lander Lil "sees" a shadow on Groundhog Day, then more winter is expected. How Punxsutawney Phil fared Overall, 14 of the groundhogs had 50% accuracy or better. Each Groundhog Day, Punxsutawney Phil makes his prediction about a late end to winter weather or early start to spring temperatures. Here's how accurate his forecasts have been over the years. In the near term, the groundhog’s accuracy rate is slightly worse. According to the NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information, Phil has been right about 30% of the time over the past decade. ANIMALS OTHER THAN PUNXSUTAWNEY PHIL THAT WILL TRY TO PREDICT END OF WINTER ON GROUNDHOG DAY. In 2021, Phil predicted more winter. Phil the groundhog has been forecasting the seasons on Groundhog Day at Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney since 1887, but just how good is he at his job? Phil's overall accuracy rate is about 36% Phil’s accuracy issues don’t detract from what Groundhog Day is really about. It’s a massive festival event in Punxsutawney filled with music, celebrations and tourism dollars. The famed groundhog Punxsutawney Phil gives us his weather prediction every February 2, but historically, the results usually aren't accurate. Groundhog Day is almost here: What to know about the rodent, the shadow, and the weather Punxsutawney Phil is the most famous weather-predicting rodent, but he apparently isn't the most accurate. In 1979, the Ohio legislature named him the official groundhog for the Buckeye State, per Groundhog-Day.com. How accurate is Phil? How accurate is Chuck? Groundhog Day is this weekend so let’s review how accurate the groundhog is! PUNXSUTAWNEY, Penn. - Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania is the Mecca for those around the country celebrating Groundhog Day. Every year, on Feb. 2, tens of thousands of people flock to this small town of less than 6,000 people some 80 miles northeast of Pittsburgh, to see whether the town's rodent yeah, so rightfully so. the day actually originated in pennsylvania and in punxsutawney. groundhog day isn’t just one day for the city’s groundhog club. it’s marked by a multi day celebration that even includes a groundhog ball. and this year will be extra special day for phil, as it’s his first groundhog day as a father here in alabama. This year, NOAA took a deeper dive into Groundhog Day results and graded the work of 19 groundhogs and groundhog surrogates to determine the accuracy of their predictions. Spoiler: Phil came in Groundhog Day events often include music, food, and games, making it a fun-filled day for families. Some schools and communities hold educational programs to teach children about groundhogs and the history of Groundhog Day. Accuracy of Groundhog Predictions. How accurate are these furry forecasters? As Groundhog Day approaches, all eyes are on Phil, but the pressure is on as the famous groundhog has a not-so-great accuracy rate. According to the StormFax Weather Almanac , Phil has an overall The NOAA recently posted a Grading the Groundhogs study on their website, which they wrote is “in honor of Groundhog Day and in the spirit of fun,” comparing the accuracy of Groundhog Day Which groundhog is more accurate? By the numbers: According to a 2022 study by FiveThirtyEight.com , Beau boasts a 63% accuracy rate for predictions from 2012 to 2021, outshining Phil’s 45.5%.
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