How Often Is Punxsutawney Phil Right With His Winter Predictions?

Groundhog Phil has spoken and many of us don't like what he has to say! Ha.

Here's a little background if you need it: Groundhog Day fell earlier this month - on February 2nd to be exact. Every year on this day, the famous groundhog Punxsutawney Phil comes out of hiding to make some weather predictions. If he sees his shadow, it means we will see six more weeks of winter. If he doesn't, it means we will see an early spring. Of course, he saw his shadow but in his defense, we probably would have seen six more weeks of winter regardless. This is the Northland, after all!

We always have a brutal winter in the Duluth and Superior area but taking that little fact and setting it aside for a second, how often is Phil actually right with his predictions? Thankfully, it looks like I found the answer!

NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information released this information right before his latest prediction on Tuesday (February 4th). According to their research, he has been right about half the time in the past ten years!

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Their report states that between 2011 and 2020, Phil has been right fifty percent of the time. The most recent year he was correct was last, where he didn't see his shadow and therefore predicted an early spring.

I don't know about you but that's a pretty good track record for a groundhog!

If you need a good laugh because you're sad we are looking at six more weeks of winter, take a look at how one Duluth meteorologist responded to Groundhog Phil's latest prediction. It is epic!