Punxsutawney Phil to Reveal Groundhog Day Weather Forecast

Thousands expected at Gobbler's Knob for annual tradition

Jan. 31, 2026 at 2:55pm

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Punxsutawney Phil, the famous weather-predicting groundhog, is set to deliver his annual Groundhog Day forecast on Monday from Gobbler's Knob in rural Pennsylvania. Tens of thousands of revelers will gather to witness Phil's prediction of either six more weeks of winter or an early spring.

Why it matters

Groundhog Day has become a beloved tradition in the U.S., with Phil's forecast capturing national attention and serving as a lighthearted marker of the changing seasons. The event also has deep cultural roots, with ties to Celtic and Christian holidays.

The details

Phil will be brought out from his hatch on a tree stump to make his prediction, which his handlers will interpret based on his 'groundhogese' of winks, purrs, chatters and nods. If Phil does not see his shadow, it is said to usher in an early spring, while seeing his shadow means six more weeks of winter. This will be Phil's first Groundhog Day in his new 'zoo' at Gobbler's Knob, where he splits time when not at his longstanding home beside the town library.

  • Groundhog Day falls on February 2, the midpoint between the winter solstice and spring equinox.
  • The sunrise ceremony where Phil will make his prediction will take place on Monday, February 2, 2026.

The players

Punxsutawney Phil

The famous weather-predicting groundhog who will deliver his annual Groundhog Day forecast.

Punxsutawney Groundhog Club's Inner Circle

The group that oversees the Groundhog Day event and interprets Phil's 'groundhogese' to relay his weather prediction.

Dan McGinley

A member of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club's Inner Circle for about a decade.

Michael Venos

A 46-year-old database administrator from Roxbury, New Jersey who has been collecting stories of Groundhog Day events and their weather predictions for about a decade.

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What they’re saying

“We just like to remind people that there's a lot of serious things in this world and this life, and Groundhog Day is not one of them.”

— Dan McGinley, Member of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club's Inner Circle

“Plus the underdog-ness of the holiday. It's not quite at your A-level holiday. So that kind of appeals to me, too.”

— Michael Venos, Groundhog Day enthusiast

What’s next

Punxsutawney Phil will make his annual Groundhog Day prediction on Monday, February 2, 2026 at sunrise from Gobbler's Knob in Pennsylvania.

The takeaway

Groundhog Day has become a beloved American tradition, with Phil's weather forecast capturing national attention and serving as a lighthearted marker of the changing seasons. The event has deep cultural roots, with ties to Celtic and Christian holidays, and continues to attract thousands of revelers each year.