What is Groundhog Day?
Every year on Feb. 2, thousands travel to see what the forecast holds from a groundhog named Phil at Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.
Phil has been forecasting since 1887. He comes out of his hole after winter to look for his shadow. If he sees his shadow, the result is six more weeks of winter. If there is no shadow, it is a sign of early spring.
How accurate is Phil?
Although he doesn’t predict the weather for the entire country, on average, Phil has been accurate 35% of the time over the past 10 years, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
This year, Phil predicted six more weeks of winter, but below are some of his previous predictions.
Texas versions of Punxsutawney Phil
Texas puts its own Hill Country spin on the tradition with Bee Cave Bob, a nine‑banded armadillo who has been forecasting the season since 2010.
How Bee Cave Bob makes his prediction
The event — known locally as Armadillo Day — is hosted by the Benevolent Knights of the Raccoon at West Pole Ranch. Bee Cave Bob emerges from his culvert onto a concrete slab painted like a highway in Bee Cave, which is located west of Austin.
Like Phil, if Bob sees his shadow, he predicts six more weeks of winter. If he doesn’t see his shadow, it signals an early spring.
Bob has been forecasting for more than 10 years and has only seen his shadow three times since 2011, meaning he has predicted early spring most of the time.
This year, Bee Cave Bob once again followed his instincts and did NOT see his shadow, which signals an early spring.
What does this mean for San Antonio?
No matter what these animals see, spring is just a few weeks away from meteorological spring (March 1) or even seven weeks before the spring equinox starts (March 20).
Outlooks through the middle of February are reporting above-average temperatures across much of the country.
- Read more from the meteorologists on the Whatever the Weather page
- Download KSAT’s weather app for customized, accurate forecasts in San Antonio, South Texas or wherever you are
- Find the latest forecasts, radar and alerts on the KSAT Weather Authority page