Groundhog Day: The Tradition and Science Behind Predicting Spring's Arrival

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In summary: Wisconsin so warm is a relative term. In summary, today is Groundhog Day and Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow, predicting six more weeks of winter. There is debate about the accuracy of this tradition and some believe the artificial lighting and interference with nature could have influenced the outcome. However, some weather forecasters are predicting a late stretch of extreme wintry conditions in late February and March.
  • #1
Moonbear
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Did Puxatawney Phil see his shadow? How much longer do I have to wait until spring? (It's another gray day here, and I'm sick of it...hoping for good news from the groundhog.)

For those of you not from the US and puzzled over this, today is Groundhog Day, when they drag this poor groundhog in Pennsylvania out of his cozy winter hibernation spot to tell us if he sees his shadow, which is supposed to predict whether we'll have an early or late spring. Somehow, Spring still always starts right about March 21, but this silly tradition helps keep those of us who hate winter sane for a few more weeks by reminding us that Spring is coming. :biggrin:
 
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  • #2
Moonbear said:
Did Puxatawney Phil see his shadow? How much longer do I have to wait until spring? (It's another gray day here, and I'm sick of it...hoping for good news from the groundhog.)

For those of you not from the US and puzzled over this, today is Groundhog Day, when they drag this poor groundhog in Pennsylvania out of his cozy winter hibernation spot to tell us if he sees his shadow, which is supposed to predict whether we'll have an early or late spring. Somehow, Spring still always starts right about March 21, but this silly tradition helps keep those of us who hate winter sane for a few more weeks by reminding us that Spring is coming. :biggrin:

Stop torturing the poor groundhog already. Its cold and gray, get used to it.

Actually we've got beautiful weather out here. A ncie 66 degrees, sunny skies, fresh air. Gorgeous. And here i am in my room posting to PF.
 
  • #3
I think our groundhog came out in a good mood. Very sunny and a balmy 11 degrees here at 11 AM. Beautiful day.
 
  • #4
ek said:
I think our groundhog came out in a good mood. Very sunny and a balmy 11 degrees here at 11 AM. Beautiful day.

which means he would see his shadow. Ahahaha, more winter for you.
 
  • #5
http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/snapshots/20050202/capt.2005-02-02-phil.jpg

The tradition stems from the Christian holiday of Candlemas, and the belief that if a hibernating animal sees its shadow, winter will last another six weeks. If there's no shadow, spring will come early.

He saw his shadow, six more weeks of winter. :grumpy:
 
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  • #6
franznietzsche said:
which means he would see his shadow. Ahahaha, more winter for you.

Ya, I suppose that's right.

Except for the fact this is the Pacific Coast, and we don't really get much of a winter anyway.
 
  • #7
ek said:
Ya, I suppose that's right.

Except for the fact this is the Pacific Coast, and we don't really get much of a winter anyway.

indeed we don't. Rainy season, dry season. That's about it. Its just warmer down here.
 
  • #8
Punxatawney Phil, the most famous of these groundhogs (the one featured in the movie Groundhog's Day), saw his shadow today. Mind nowadays Gobbler's Knob has stadium lighting for the many cameras and such so if he doesn't see his shadow nowadays it's probably due to a power outage. :tongue2:
 
  • #9
Andromeda321 said:
Punxatawney Phil, the most famous of these groundhogs (the one featured in the movie Groundhog's Day), saw his shadow today. Mind nowadays Gobbler's Knob has stadium lighting for the many cameras and such so if he doesn't see his shadow nowadays it's probably due to a power outage. :tongue2:

Hey, artificial lighting is CHEATING! Poor Phil. He just wants to sleep in, and here come the paparazzi with bright lights and cameras, dragging him out of bed and out into the cold day. I think he should bite the handlers. I don't think they'd film it as a cute special interest story if there was blood gushing into the camera shot. :biggrin:

There's no way any groundhog in these parts could see any shadow today. There hasn't been any sun to create a shadow. I'm undecided, I want an early spring, but I'd much rather have bright sun now.

Edit: Oh, wait, if they are GOOD photographers, they'll provide enough light from all sides that there won't be shadows. And, even if there is a shadow, maybe Phil didn't see it. He might have been looking the other way, or blinded by all those bright lights first thing in the morning. Yeah, that's it, that's the story I'm going with. :biggrin:
 
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  • #10
They're cheating anyway, he didn't come out of his hole, they reached in and pulled him out, thus interfering with nature and negating the whole thing. :grumpy:
 
  • #11
Moonbear said:
I don't think they'd film it as a cute special interest story if there was blood gushing into the camera shot. :biggrin:

No, they'd just sell it to HBO, and then you'd have to apy to see it.

Moonbear said:
There's no way any groundhog in these parts could see any shadow today. There hasn't been any sun to create a shadow. I'm undecided, I want an early spring, but I'd much rather have bright sun now.

Edit: Oh, wait, if they are GOOD photographers, they'll provide enough light from all sides that there won't be shadows. And, even if there is a shadow, maybe Phil didn't see it. He might have been looking the other way, or blinded by all those bright lights first thing in the morning. Yeah, that's it, that's the story I'm going with. :biggrin:

He saw it, happy winter moonbear. :biggrin:
 
  • #12
A less scientific approach, but the weather forecasters at CNN said something about mixing fronts going to bring in a late stretch of extreme wintry condtions to the midwest in late Feb and March. :cry:
 
  • #13
Gokul43201 said:
A less scientific approach, but the weather forecasters at CNN said something about mixing fronts going to bring in a late stretch of extreme wintry condtions to the midwest in late Feb and March. :cry:


See? The groundhog knows his stuff.
 
  • #14
Here in the Fox Cities area of Wisconsin it has been mixed sun and cloud, but warm for this time of year, in the 30's (Fahrenheit, that is). Did you know that Groundhog Day is also a Pagan holiday, called Imbolc? It celebrates milk, butter and cheese, so it should be made a state holiday here in Dairyland!
 
  • #15
selfAdjoint said:
Here in the Fox Cities area of Wisconsin it has been mixed sun and cloud, but warm for this time of year, in the 30's (Fahrenheit, that is). Did you know that Groundhog Day is also a Pagan holiday, called Imbolc? It celebrates milk, butter and cheese, so it should be made a state holiday here in Dairyland!

Cool! Pagan holidays are always the most fun! I think I need to make a cheese omelet to celebrate, and wash it down with a big glass of milk! Oh, now I'm hungry, and need cheese, and milk, and probably eggs (I think I used up most of them last time I baked a big batch of cookies that was enjoyed by the post office's cookie sniffing dogs :rolleyes:).
 
  • #16
*looks up* Cookie? Where where where?
Oh wait they were sent away. *droops* Just ignore me, I'll skulk off and have some butter with my cheese or something.
 
  • #17
Moonbear said:
Cool! Pagan holidays are always the most fun! I think I need to make a cheese omelet to celebrate, and wash it down with a big glass of milk! Oh, now I'm hungry, and need cheese, and milk, and probably eggs (I think I used up most of them last time I baked a big batch of cookies that was enjoyed by the post office's cookie sniffing dogs :rolleyes:).
Now I'm hungry. :frown:

I figured there had to be an associated pagan holiday if there was a christian one.
 
  • #18
Andromeda321 said:
*looks up* Cookie? Where where where?
Oh wait they were sent away. *droops* Just ignore me, I'll skulk off and have some butter with my cheese or something.

*thinking thinking thinking lightbulb!* Butter, cheese, milk (and eggs)...cheesecake! Ooh, I'm going to have to note this properly for future reference, celebrate Groundhog's Day with cheesecake! :biggrin: Don't worry Andromeda, I'll share. *shoves cheesecake into Andromeda's computer*
 
  • #19
Moonbear said:
Cool! Pagan holidays are always the most fun! I think I need to make a cheese omelet to celebrate, and wash it down with a big glass of milk! Oh, now I'm hungry, and need cheese, and milk, and probably eggs (I think I used up most of them last time I baked a big batch of cookies that was enjoyed by the post office's cookie sniffing dogs :rolleyes:).

Yeah, like the festival of dionysus. Dionysus, hehe. Bacchus to the romans. He's a nice god. well, only if you're partying with him, but yeah.
 
  • #20
Moonbear said:
Don't worry Andromeda, I'll share. *shoves cheesecake into Andromeda's computer*
:eek: :eek: :eek:
Yay! Moonbear you're awesome!
*hopes cheesecake didn't mess up her hard drive but is too excited to care*
 
  • #21
Moonbear said:
What did the groundhog say?

I checked.

Groundhog said:
Can't these idiots just watch The Weather Channel and let me sleep?
 
  • #22
:rofl: Yeah, but the Weather Channel uses such unscientific methods, like those Gokul pointed out. The groundhog is 100% all-natural; that must make it better. :rofl:
 
  • #23
Andromeda321 said:
:eek: :eek: :eek:
Yay! Moonbear you're awesome!
*hopes cheesecake didn't mess up her hard drive but is too excited to care*


I don't get any? :frown: :cry: :frown: :cry: :frown:
 
  • #24
franznietzsche said:
I don't get any? :frown: :cry: :frown: :cry: :frown:

Oh, don't worry, I saved you a piece. I know how much you need the sugar to stay awake all night. *shoves cheesecake into Franz's computer*
 
  • #25
Moonbear said:
Oh, don't worry, I saved you a piece. I know how much you need the sugar to stay awake all night. *shoves cheesecake into Franz's computer*


Yay!

:biggrin: :biggrin:

We need a *Has cheesecake and is dancing * smiley now.
 
  • #26
franznietzsche said:
Yay!

:biggrin: :biggrin:

We need a *Has cheesecake and is dancing * smiley now.

Will one of these fit the ocassion?

http://deephousepage.com/smilies/cloud9.gif

http://deephousepage.com/smilies/party_06.gif
 
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  • #27
Moonbear said:
Will one of these fit the ocassion?

http://deephousepage.com/smilies/cloud9.gif

http://deephousepage.com/smilies/party_06.gif
[/URL]

we need to have dancing on cloud 9, then we're good to go.
 
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  • #28
i can't believe they didnt show the groundhog day movie today :mad: :mad:
oh well at least I am in florida where its not a frozen hellhole
 
  • #29
Groundhog said:
Can't these idiots just watch The Weather Channel and let me sleep?
In answer to the question, "What did the groundhog say," I was going to say, "Nothing; groundhogs can't talk." However, it would appear I am mistaken.

I believe he was also heard to say,

Groundhog said:
Keep your fat fingers off me, you ugly-hat wearing morons.
 
  • #30
After the assault on the groundhog he was heard to say,
Groundhog said:
Hey, how would you like it if I stuck on a goofy hat, came into your bedroom while you were sleeping, grabbed you by your pudgy gut, hung you out the window naked and said, "How about predicting the weather bright boy?" Huh, how would you like that?
 
  • #31
...and then an appeal to the academic community was heard.

Groundhog said:
Furthermore, all of you rocket scientists in top hats, if you see your own shadow, then doesn't it stand to reason that I'll see mine? Duh!
 
  • #32
Ivan Seeking said:
...and then an appeal to the academic community was heard.
LOL :rofl:
 
  • #33
I think a Groundhog song is in order.

To the tune of "Comfortably Numb"
by Pink Floyd


Waking a Groundhog is Incredibly Dumb
By Artman

Hello?
Is there a groundhog in there?
Don’t bite me if you are near me.
Is there any hog at home?

Come on, out.
I hear you're shadow’s about.
We won’t give you blame,
If you see it once again.

Relax.
We need to wake you up here first.
If you bite me in the ass,
I know it’s going to hurt.

There’s your shadow that you’re seeing.
Six more weeks of cold you’re predicting.
The light is coming through in waves.
Or maybe particles I guess they’re saying.
When Spring finally comes we can let you sleep.
There is no reason to wake you up.
Until February comes again.
I can't explain, for it is kind of dumb.
The goofy-hat dude is who I am
I must become cold and numb.


Ok.
Come and see your shadow quick.
There'll be no more ...Aaaaaahhhhh!
“He bit me!” the little prick!

Can you believe it?
I do believe it's bleeding now..
How is that for the show?
Oh God, I’ve got to go.

There is no pain, but it’s bleeding.
The little sh!* Broke a vessel.
The blood’s now flowing out in waves.
I’m feeling faint, I can’t hear what you’re saying.
That groundhog caught a fleeting glimpse,
Out of the corner of his eye.
Of his shadow there, but now it’s gone.
Pressure! Put your finger on it now.
The bleeding has stopped, the groundhog is gone.
Waking a groundhog is incredibly dumb.


:yuck: :biggrin:
 
  • #34
Artman... :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:
 
  • #35
The light is coming through in waves.
Or maybe particles I guess they’re saying

LOL That's my favorite part!
 

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