Groundhog predicts the End of Winter Storms Battle In the US

US winter is over says Groundhog Punxsutawney Phil

Phil is US most eminent weather forecaster groundhog

The Unites States major winter storms are over as predicted by Groundhog

                                                                                                                         

The famous, peppy, rodent groundhog Punxsutawney Phil has predicted the end of the battle against winter storms in the United States. As of now none of the meteorological departments have officially declared the end of deadly winter storms or the coming of spring so far. It is only the famous rodent Phil who has declared so. While the battle in the United States against the ongoing winter storms is still on, the famous rodent has declared its ending. The groundhog has declared the arrival of spring is not far. Does this bring a psychological relief in the United States? Well, it is said to bring some level of comfort with this declaration. At least, there is a ray of hope that is lit by a positive news. Is this cheerful weather forecast capable enough to bring cheers on faces?

Photo credit: Frank Gruber via Visual hunt / CC BY-NC-ND

Phil is the most prominent weather forecaster in the United States. So when it is coming from Phil, the news has some weightage. Phil is not an official authority in this respect. He is a groundhog, a rodent. Phil is supposedly quite cute and cool. He is a resident of Pennsylvania. His cage is has a close association with this prediction. Probably there is a science behind this. It is important to understand few things about the groundhog. It is said that when Phil comes out of his cage and is able to see his shadow it has a specific indication. The indication is the winter storm is about to stay for six more weeks. And if he is not able to see his shadow on emerging from his cage then it means the winter is about to end. This no shadow affair happens when there is a cloud over. It is last Tuesday when Phil emerged from his cage and saw no shadow. Thereby the weather forecaster clearly declaring the winter being over.

Photo credit: pennstatenews via VisualHunt / CC BY-NC

If we go by the records of last three decades about Phil’s forecasts, the failure rate is more than 50 percent, almost hitting to 60. If this year also his prediction goes wrong, the failure rate will go higher. This will definitely get the confidence level in Phil lowered. Let us hope the forecast predicted by the Groundhog goes right. This phenomenon of predicting weather on February 2 on this basis every year is centuries old. February 2 is known as Candlemas Day. This day has its own importance in many ways. Every year February 2 is celebrated as a religious festival. The Christians commemorate this day as the sacramental purification of Mary. This is the 40^th day after Jesus was born. This day is also treated as the borderline of the outgoing winter solstice and upcoming spring equinox. It is believed that if on this day there are rain and clouds, the indication is clear about the end of winter and no return back.

Let us assume that prediction given by the peppy Groundhog Punxsutawney Phil goes right. Let this be the end of winter storms in the United States. 

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