Groundhog Punxsutawney Phil is no meteorologist, and has no background in science, but Groundhog Day is a fun tradition to look forward to. Groundhog Day has been celebrated in the U.S. every Feb. 2 since 1886. Although the famous Punxsutawney Phil has been accurate a couple times before, according to NBC Boston, Phil has a 35% accuracy rate.
The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club was formed with approximately 15 men who were traditionally found wearing tux suits and top hats, which is Phil’s “inner circle.”
Phil is in 17th place for the most accurate groundhog predictor living at 35%. The highest spring reader is the Staten Island Chuck in New York, with an accuracy percentage of 85%. Although Phil is not the most accurate, he tends to be highlighted annually by the Pennsylvania Platforms as Punxsutawney Phil first started this tradition many years back. He may not always be correct but he does carry on traditions for the United States.
People may be fooled that Punxsutawney Phil has been replaced, due to his legacy being held since 1886. NBC Boston claims that Phil is ‘immortal’ and drinks “The Elixir of Life”.
Reya Rivera disagrees with the Groundhog being immortal from the“Elixir of Life”. This is because a Groundhog went missing her freshman year. New Jersey’s groundhog “Mel” the Groundhog passed away Rivera’s freshman year of High School.
“My freshman year he died,” Rivera said.
Sophomore Parker Tessier agreed that sometimes the holiday can be a little messy, and some of the information can be misunderstood. He also thinks some people don’t understand the “replacement process” for each groundhog.
“Don’t they replace him like a goldfish?” Tessier said.
Tessier thinks it is biased that a male-groundhog always picks the predictions of the upcoming weather forecast, and how it should also be up to a female groundhog.
“I think the groundhog wife should get to choose,” Tessier said.
Junior Rebecca “Beck” Solomons expresses how his predictions are incorrect and he is getting too old. They acknowledge the fact that this holiday is an annual tradition of many years, but sometimes the predictions are never accurate.
“I think he needs to retire,” Solomons said.
When people truthfully think about Groundhog’s Day it can be very confusing when it comes down to wondering the how and the why of how the holiday is passed on throughout the years, when it comes to the clarity of the sky, or how much the groundhog is scared by its surroundings.
“Why is it that when the sun is out winter is longer,” Rivera said. “Shouldn’t it mean spring is sooner?”
