Groundhog Day is near and the excitement is building over whether a furry marmot will see his shadow or not, when emerging from his burrow. After experiencing severe cold weather temperatures and lots of snow this year, people are flocking to Gobbler’s Knob to watch a famous groundhog named Phil, predict the upcoming weather.
Groundhog Day is Sunday, Feb. 2. At approximately 7:20 a.m. ET, ‘Phil’ is expected to come out of his burrow at sunrise to look for his shadow. Punxsutawney Phil is a groundhog from Pennsylvania who’s famous for his annual Groundhog Day weather predictions. The tradition dates back to 1887, when the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club declared the town the “weather capitol of the world.” Every Feb. 2, Phil emerges from his burrow at Gobbler’s Knob before sunrise.
According to legend, if the prognosticator sees his shadow on a clear day, he will retreat meaning six more weeks of winter weather. If the groundhog emerges and does not see his shadow, then spring is said to come early. If the day is cloudy and hence shadowless, he takes it as a sign of spring and stays above ground.
Starting on Jan 31, people go to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, to participate in the celebration. The weather discovery center opens at 10 a.m. on Jan 31 then closes at 3 a.m. on Feb. 3. Sandfly Brewing Company will be serving adult beverages along with food. They are also having live music starting at 12 p.m. on Jan 31, and ending at 12 a.m. on Feb. 1. At 5 to 9 p.m. on Jan. 31, groundhog events will be at the Punxsy Community Center. The Groundhog Ball from 7 to 11 p.m., will be on Jan. 31. The area’s hottest 90’s bands will be performing from 9 p.m. to 12 a.m. on Jan. 31.
Along with the predictions of a groundhog named Phil, the Farmer’s Almanac also predicts the weather for the seasons. The long range winter predictions for the northeast is that winter is “here for the long run.” It calls for the coldest outbreak of the season to be during the final week of January, and extending into the beginning of February. Frigid arctic air will bring bitter cold temperatures. Above normal amounts of precipitation is expected.
As for Nuckolls County, remember this is Nebraska and the weather can change several times throughout the day. The forecast for today (Thursday), includes a chance for rain, snow and even dry conditions.
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