Groundhog Phil fails to see his shadow

On the 125th anniversary of Groundhog's Day in Punxsutawney, Pa., world's most famous groundhog Phil failed to see his shadow this morning at 7:25 a.m. amidst overcast skies, light rain showers, and temperatures in the mid-30s.

According to folklore, no shadow for Phil means "there will be an early spring" whereas had he seen his shadow, it would have signified six more weeks of winter.

Since the Groundhog's first prediction in 1887, Phil has seen his shadow 98 times and hasn't seen it 15 times. There are some missing years in the record, but Phil has issued a forecast without exception, according to Washington Post.

A rep for the Pennsylvania Tourism Office says this year marks Phil's 125th prediction. She did not have any information regarding his accuracy.

"There is only one weather-forecasting groundhog: Punxsutawney Phil in the Pennsylvania Wilds," says Mickey Rowley, deputy secretary for tourism at the Pennsylvania Tourism Office, in a prepared statement. "This year, anyone will have the opportunity to earn a badge featuring his likeness from visit PA."

Zoo Director Kim Smith explains, "The groundhog is actually a latecomer to the weather predication game. It was only when immigrants to the United States realized that there aren't any hedgehogs here that they turned to the groundhog. We're proud to bring this tradition back to its true origins," ClickZ News reports.