Punxsutawney Phil: "There's a shadow up here. Get ready for six more weeks of Winter this year." Happy Groundhog Day!
— Paul Piorek WICC (@paulpiorekwicc.bsky.social) February 2, 2025 at 7:27 AM
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Paul
Sunday, February 2, 2025
Punxsutawney Phil Predicts Six More Weeks of Winter
Happy Groundhog Day
Today is Groundhog Day, which is an unofficial weather holiday around these parts. I always look forward to the annual prediction by the Keystone State's most famous rodent. Although the Winter hasn't been as severe as some recent ones, I'm looking forward to an early Spring. We'll know the answer early this morning when Punxsutawney Phil makes his prediction before 7:30 in front of a huge gathering of onlookers and fans.
So, how did Groundhog Day originate, anyway? The earliest known reference to Groundhog Day can be found at the Pennsylvania Dutch Folklore Center at Franklin and Marshall College. According to storekeeper James Morris' diary dated February 4, 1841, "Last Tuesday, the second, was Candlemas Day, the day on which, according to the Germans, the groundhog peeps out of his Winter quarters. If he sees his shadow, he pops back for another six-week nap. But if it remain cloudy, he remains out as the weather is to be moderate."
According to the Old English saying, "If Candlemas be fair and bright, Winter has another flight. If Candlemas brings clouds and rain, Winter will not come again." According to the Scottish, "If Candlemas Day is bright and clear, there will be two Winters in the year." Finally, the Germans believe, "For as the Sun shines on Candlemas Day, so far will the snow swirl until May. For as the snow blows on Candlemas Day, so far will the Sun shine before May."
Over the years, there have been several interesting anecdotes to Groundhog Day. For example, during Prohibition, Phil threatened to impose 60 weeks of Winter on the community if he wasn't allowed a drink. Phil traveled to Washington, DC, in 1986 to meet with President Reagan, and, one year later, he met Pennsylvania Governor Dick Thornberg. In 1993, Columbia Pictures released the movie Groundhog Day, starring comedian Bill Murray, and Phil appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show in 1995.
Following the release of the movie, annual crowds in excess of 30,000 have visited Gobbler's Knob. The spectacle has turned into a media event and has become quite commercial, too, with vendors hawking "Phil" tee-shirts, sweatshirts, a plastic Phil bank, Phil ornaments, and a classic Punxsutawney Phil cookbook. I wouldn't mind wearing one of those sweatshirts, in fact!
It is said that Punxsutawney Phil gets his longevity from drinking the "elixir of life," a secret recipe. Phil takes one sip every summer at the Groundhog Picnic and it magically gives him seven more years of life. So the story goes, Punxsutawney Phil was named after King Phillip. Prior to being called Phil, he was called Br'er Groundhog. I'm one of Phil's biggest fans!
Happy Groundhog Day.
Paul
So, how did Groundhog Day originate, anyway? The earliest known reference to Groundhog Day can be found at the Pennsylvania Dutch Folklore Center at Franklin and Marshall College. According to storekeeper James Morris' diary dated February 4, 1841, "Last Tuesday, the second, was Candlemas Day, the day on which, according to the Germans, the groundhog peeps out of his Winter quarters. If he sees his shadow, he pops back for another six-week nap. But if it remain cloudy, he remains out as the weather is to be moderate."
According to the Old English saying, "If Candlemas be fair and bright, Winter has another flight. If Candlemas brings clouds and rain, Winter will not come again." According to the Scottish, "If Candlemas Day is bright and clear, there will be two Winters in the year." Finally, the Germans believe, "For as the Sun shines on Candlemas Day, so far will the snow swirl until May. For as the snow blows on Candlemas Day, so far will the Sun shine before May."
Over the years, there have been several interesting anecdotes to Groundhog Day. For example, during Prohibition, Phil threatened to impose 60 weeks of Winter on the community if he wasn't allowed a drink. Phil traveled to Washington, DC, in 1986 to meet with President Reagan, and, one year later, he met Pennsylvania Governor Dick Thornberg. In 1993, Columbia Pictures released the movie Groundhog Day, starring comedian Bill Murray, and Phil appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show in 1995.Following the release of the movie, annual crowds in excess of 30,000 have visited Gobbler's Knob. The spectacle has turned into a media event and has become quite commercial, too, with vendors hawking "Phil" tee-shirts, sweatshirts, a plastic Phil bank, Phil ornaments, and a classic Punxsutawney Phil cookbook. I wouldn't mind wearing one of those sweatshirts, in fact!
It is said that Punxsutawney Phil gets his longevity from drinking the "elixir of life," a secret recipe. Phil takes one sip every summer at the Groundhog Picnic and it magically gives him seven more years of life. So the story goes, Punxsutawney Phil was named after King Phillip. Prior to being called Phil, he was called Br'er Groundhog. I'm one of Phil's biggest fans!
Happy Groundhog Day.
Paul
Saturday, February 1, 2025
January Colder and Drier Than Normal Across Southwestern Connecticut
The average monthly temperature for January at the Bridgeport climate station was 30.1° F, which is 1.3° colder-than-normal. The range was 52° (Jan. 29) and 7° (Jan. 22).
— Paul Piorek WICC (@paulpiorekwicc.bsky.social) February 1, 2025 at 9:47 AM
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The Bridgeport climate station recorded 0.72" of precipitation in January, which is 2.46" less than the climatological average. Six of the 31 days (19%) featured measured precipitation.
— Paul Piorek WICC (@paulpiorekwicc.bsky.social) February 1, 2025 at 9:50 AM
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Paul
Saturday, January 18, 2025
Winter Storm Will Affect Southwestern Connecticut Sunday Into Monday
Four-to-eight inches of snow are expected across southwestern Connecticut through Monday at 7 a.m. EST.
— Paul Piorek WICC (@paulpiorekwicc.bsky.social) January 18, 2025 at 3:51 PM
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A Winter Storm Warning will be in effect for northern Fairfield and New Haven counties from Sunday at 1 p.m. through Monday at 4 a.m. EST: forecast.weather.gov/showsigwx.ph...
— Paul Piorek WICC (@paulpiorekwicc.bsky.social) January 18, 2025 at 3:49 PM
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A Winter Weather Advisory will be in effect for southern Fairfield and New Haven counties from Sunday at 1 p.m. until Monday at 4 a.m. EST: forecast.weather.gov/showsigwx.ph...
— Paul Piorek WICC (@paulpiorekwicc.bsky.social) January 18, 2025 at 3:50 PM
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Paul
Thursday, January 9, 2025
Wind Advisory in Effect for Southwestern Connecticut Through This Evening
A Wind Advisory is in effect for Fairfield and New Haven counties until 10 p.m. EST: forecast.weather.gov/showsigwx.ph...
— Paul Piorek WICC (@paulpiorekwicc.bsky.social) January 9, 2025 at 6:44 AM
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Paul
Wednesday, January 1, 2025
December Was Colder & Wetter Than Normal at Bridgeport Climate Station
The average monthly temperature for December at the Bridgeport climate station was 35.7° F, which is 1.3° colder-than-normal. The range was 61° (Dec. 11) and 9° (Dec. 23).
— Paul Piorek WICC (@paulpiorekwicc.bsky.social) January 1, 2025 at 12:49 PM
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The Bridgeport climate station recorded 5.43" of precipitation in December, which is 1.45" more than the climatological average. Sixteen of the 31 days (52%) featured measured precipitation.
— Paul Piorek WICC (@paulpiorekwicc.bsky.social) January 1, 2025 at 12:57 PM
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Paul
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