ABC 6 NEWS — At a packed event in Gobbler’s Knob, Pensylvannia, it was declared that this year would see an early spring as Punxsutawney Phil didn’t see his shadow this Groundhog Day.

The ceremony began shortly after 4 A.M. CST, featuring music, speeches and fireworks. At around 6:25 A.M., Punxsutawney Phil was brought out, and after a little bit of measuring, his handler made the following comment:

But how accurate is the historic groundhog? According to the National Centers for Environmental Information, since 2013 Punxsutawney Phil has been correct in his winter predictions just 40% of the time. Having seen his shadow for the last three years, Phil hasn’t correctly called the weather since 2020, which was also the last time he called for an early spring.

The NCEI also says that it’s far more likely for Phil to call for six weeks of winter, with the groundhog seeing his shadow 106 times since 1887. He’s called for an early spring just 21 times, by comparison. There have been 10 occasions where the result hasn’t been recorded.