We have lots of traditions in our society. Some are more for adults while others are more focused on children. Some traditions are focused on religious events or simply set dates on the calendar. One of these traditions is Groundhog Day. There is a plump old groundhog that lives in Punxsutawney, PA named Punxsutawney Phil that is quite a celebrity. So, I'm sure most everyone is aware of how Groundhog Day works. On February 2, Punxsutawney Phil comes out of his dwelling and ventures into his bright or gloomy environment and a crowd is present to draw a conclusion to his weather prediction. Its is either one of two possibilities, 6 more weeks of winter, or an early spring.
Now honestly I don't ever remember putting too much thought into this event and it's not highlighted on my calendar, but it's sometimes a topic of conversation for those who catch the news broadcast. All this being said about what a fairly lighthearted event this is, I was very surprised to read on ABC News the title, Punxsutawney Phil Isn't Always Right. There was actually people who took the time and were likely paid to compare the groundhog's weather prediction record to actual weather records. Now you may find this shocking, but an analysis at the National Climatic Data Center concluded that there is no correlation between the two records! Well, the true die hard Punxsutawney Phil fans say that the point is that it is always winter somewhere. I guess the fans are more accurate that the groundhog.
In conclusion, it's a simple annual event that shouldn't be over analysed. Just let it be for fun. I think there is too much of a need to prove or disprove everything in our society. In the end it doesn't really matter what the groundhog says, we can't change the weather.
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