# If groundhog sees shadow, why MORE winter? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [December 22, 2011, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-groundhog-sees-shadow-why-more-winter/607099 "2011-12-22T18:02:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2019, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-groundhog-sees-shadow-why-more-winter/607099/22 "2019-02-02T17:46:04Z")
February 1st is [Imbolc](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imbolc), the start of spring for the pagans who put the equinoxes and solstices in the middle of the seasons. Happy Imbolc, everybody. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2019, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-groundhog-sees-shadow-why-more-winter/607099/23 "2019-02-02T18:16:09Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > Link to the article for everyone’s convenience: > > [If groundhog sees shadow, why MORE winter?](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/886/if-groundhog-sees-shadow-why-more-winter) Okay, that’s odd. I clicked on the above link, posted as the first reply, and it took me to a column on “Does meditation make your brain work differently?” The correct link seems to be this one: [If the groundhog sees its shadow Feb. 2, why does that mean six more weeks of winter? - The Straight Dope](https://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/1080/if-the-groundhog-sees-its-shadow-feb-2-why-does-that-mean-six-more-weeks-of-winter/) ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2019, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-groundhog-sees-shadow-why-more-winter/607099/24 "2019-02-02T19:10:29Z")
> [@pieceoftheuniverse](#): > > …Punxsutawney Phil has very sharp eyes that can see even the hint of a shadow. I’m sure I’m not the first to ask, but how do we know if Phil can see his shadow? ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2019, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-groundhog-sees-shadow-why-more-winter/607099/25 "2019-02-03T13:10:31Z")
> [@The Perfect Master](#): > > According to Canadian Geographic weather columnist David Phillips, a multidecade, multicity study in Canada found that groundhog-driven predictions were right only 37 percent of the time. Groundhogs aren’t the [only ones](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GITxVhvDlig). > [@TPM](#): > > Which means, I guess, that you’d be right 63 percent of the time if you said good weather on 2/2 meant good weather ahead. But what kind of weather proverb would that make? If the choice is between right and catchy, catchy wins every time. Bingo. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2019, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-groundhog-sees-shadow-why-more-winter/607099/26 "2019-02-03T13:14:09Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > I’m sure I’m not the first to ask, but how do we know if Phil can see his shadow? The “rules” regarding Phil and his shadow are ridiculous. If you look at a video of the event you will note that it happens before the sun is high enough to do anything. They want to get the earliest prediction in! Here’s a [video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUGdrt34av0) from 2018 where he “saw his shadow”. That yellow glow on the faces of the officials are from TV lights. At times the place is awash in artificial light. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2019, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-groundhog-sees-shadow-why-more-winter/607099/27 "2019-02-03T14:36:54Z")
It’s a pun. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2019, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-groundhog-sees-shadow-why-more-winter/607099/28 "2019-02-03T17:58:47Z")
Yeah, those folks in Paxatawnee are sitting on the scientific find of the century. No, not a weather-predicting groundhog – they have a groundhog that can \*talk \*. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-groundhog-sees-shadow-why-more-winter/607099.md?page=1)