An unofficial predictor of U.S. weather has made his forecast, Americans will get an early spring.
A groundhog named Punxsutawney Phil was pulled from his home in a tree stump Friday morning in a small town in Pennsylvania. He did not see his shadow and, according to an American ritual, that means it will be a short winter.
Every year, thousands gather in Punxsutawney on February 2 for what is known as Groundhog Day.
The crowd cheered at this year's results. According to tradition, had he seen his shadow, winter would last another six weeks.
The observance of Groundhog Day in the United States is a carryover of a centuries-old German tradition known as Candlemas Day. That tradition has grown in popularity in recent years, driven in part by the 1993 film comedy Groundhog Day.
Some information for this report was provided by AP .
