\xa0 \xa0 \xa0The tradition of predicting the weather based on a groundhog's behavior dates back to ancient European weather lore. Germans, in particular, had a tradition that if a hibernating animal, like a hedgehog, cast a shadow on February 2nd, there would be six more weeks of winter. When German immigrants settled in the United States, they brought this tradition with them. Since there were no hedgehogs in the U.S., the groundhog emerged as the chosen animal for this weather prediction ritual. The most famous groundhog involved in this tradition is Punxsutawney Phil in Pennsylvania, whose annual appearance attracts large crowds every February 2nd.
