Groundhog Day 2026: Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow, signals longer winter

Punxsutawney Phil delivered the year’s most famous fork-in-the-road forecast early Monday morning in western Pennsylvania. The groundhog “saw his shadow,” which in tradition means six more weeks of winter rather than an early spring.

The ceremony unfolded in bitter cold at Gobbler’s Knob outside Punxsutawney, where thousands gathered before dawn for music, chants, and the moment Phil is presented and the verdict is read aloud.

The 2026 shadow verdict

For anyone asking did the groundhog see his shadow 2026 or did Phil see shadow, the call was yes — Phil saw his shadow, so the folklore prediction is more winter.

The call is made immediately after Phil is brought out, and it’s delivered by the event’s tuxedoed “Inner Circle,” who treat Phil’s reaction as the forecast and announce it to the crowd.

Key takeaways

• Did Phil see his shadow 2026? Yes.

• What does that mean? Six more weeks of winter (by tradition).

• Where did it happen? Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.

What time does the groundhog come out?

Questions like what time does Punxsutawney Phil come out, what time does the groundhog see his shadow, and what time is Groundhog Day all point to the same thing: this is a morning event.

In 2026, the schedule followed the familiar pattern in Eastern Time:

• Pre-dawn festivities: roughly 6:00 a.m. ET

• Phil’s appearance and the scroll reading: typically around 7:15–7:30 a.m. ET

• Shadow call: made right after Phil is presented

That timing is why people often miss it if they check later in the day — the headline moment happens shortly after sunrise.

When is Groundhog Day 2026?

If you’re wondering when is Groundhog Day or when is Groundhog Day 2026, it’s the same every year: February 2.

So if the question is is today Groundhog Day, the answer is yes — today is Monday, February 2, 2026 (ET). The “today” part can be confusing because many celebrations are heavily covered the night before, even though the ceremony itself is early on the morning of February 2.

What happens if the groundhog sees his shadow?

The tradition is simple and intentionally dramatic:

• If the groundhog sees his shadow: he “returns” to his burrow, signaling six more weeks of winter.

• If the groundhog doesn’t see his shadow: it signals an early spring.

It’s folklore rather than meteorology, but it persists because it’s an easy story to tell at the point in winter when people are watching the calendar and hoping for a turning point.

Why Punxsutawney Phil still draws crowds

Groundhog Day celebrations exist in many places, but Punxsutawney remains the best-known stage for the ritual. The town’s event has deep roots — first documented in the late 1800s — and it has grown into a full-scale annual spectacle with a pre-dawn party atmosphere, a set script, and a global audience following along.

This year’s turnout again underscored how the event functions as much as a winter festival as it does a “forecast.” People travel for the atmosphere, the tradition, and the shared moment of waiting for a two-option outcome that everyone instantly understands.

The cold did not stop the crowd, and the shadow call delivered the outcome many winter-weary viewers least want to hear — at least in the storybook version of the season.

Sources consulted: Associated Press; Punxsutawney Groundhog Club; AccuWeather; Forbes