LATEST UPDATE, Read: What did Punxsutawney Phil Predict? Did he see his Shadow?
Here comes one of America's most favourite holidays – the Groundhog Day 2015.
The question that every American now ask is this: Will Punxsutawney Phil, the prognosticating rodent, predict an an early spring, or will he give America another six-week period of winter?
The quirky rodent will come out of its burrow little after 7am local time on 2 February and show his magical predicting ability, telling America what the weather will shape like for the next six weeks or so. [Scroll down for the video link where you can watch the entire event via live stream online]
According to the bizarre folklore associated with the day, if the rodent sees his own shadow, he has predicted another one and half months of harsh winter. However, if the animal does not see his own shadows, America will see the dawn of a beautiful early spring.
The day Phil makes his famous prediction is known throughout the United States and Canada as Groundhog Day. Phil lives in the town library with his wife 'Phyllis' when he is not burdened with the task of predicting the weather - during the rest of the year.
Weather predictions say that Groundhog Day might see a very cold day overcast with clouds and good possibility of snow – an indication that Phil may not see his shadows. However, the rodent is known to give unexpected results and therefore, it can't be said with certainty what he will predict.
While all eyes will be on Phil on Monday, he won't be the only one predicting weather on Groundhog Day.
The Staten Island Zoo, for instance, has four groundhogs with the name 'Chuck,' one of which will be chosen to predict the weather on 2 February. It was on the same venue that a rodent slipped from the hands of Mayor Bill de Blasio – an incident that apparently resulted in the death of the animal last year.
In a change from tradition, the zoo will not allow the mayor to hold the rodent this year, the Associated Press reported.
Dupont Circle's Groundhog Day Tradition in Washington will feature a gimlet-eyed groundhog, Potamac Phil, who will make the prediction.
The most famous Groudhog Day 2015 celebration, however, will be in Punxsutawney, Pa., which will host over 18,000 spectators on the early morning of Groundhog day. The entire event can be watched via online live streaming on Visitpa.com website.
