Punxsutawney Phil just predicted six more weeks of winter. Now, he doesn't have the best track record — which got us thinking can we really trust the little guy anymore?
Legend has it Punxsutawney Phil can predict the weather's future by looking for his shadow. If the famous fat groundhog sees his shadow, then we're supposed to have six more weeks of winter. If not — then spring is coming early. (Via YouTube / Kathy Lambert)
Problem is he's kinda never right.
Despite what it says on Phil's personal website, records show he's been right less than 50 percent of the time. (Via groundhog.org)
According to the National Climatic Data Center, over the past 25 years, Phil was right only eight times but was wrong 17 times putting his average somewhere around 32 percent for the past quarter century.
Aside from his inaccurate predictions, Phil can't stay out of legal trouble.
For his inaccurate predication last year, Phil was indicted for purposefully misleading the people of Ohio and faced the death penalty. (Via Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Philadelphia Inquirer & WXIX)
But to be fair to the rodent, it's a very difficult job.
The Washington Post points out no one is all that good at making long term forecasts —not even the Farmer's Almanac — which claims to be right 80 percent of the time.
But The Post notes often those predictions are so vague they're hard NOT to be right.
Well no matter how sub-par Phil's weather casting may be no one can deny he's a great business man. Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania predicted a solid 20,000 to 25,000 people would come to the small town for Phil's prediction this year bringing at least $1 million to the economy. (Via YouTube / Punxsutawney Phil)
By the way, for the first time ever Groundhog Day has fallen on Super Bowl Sunday. And again, as for his 2014 prediction, Phil did see his shadow, which honestly may not mean anything at all.
