It is Groundhog Day 2018 in the USA and Canada and crowds have gathered in Pennsylvania to watch the squirrel-like rodent Phil coming out of his burrow to predict the weather and kick off the celebrations.
The 130-year-old custom dictates that if a groundhog emerges from its hole at the end of hibernation and sees its shadow against the sunny weather, it will retreat back to its den with winter lasting a further six weeks.
But if there are cloudy skies when the groundhog – a rodent from the marmota squirrel family – comes above ground then the spring season will arrive early.
The event is celebrated annually in the US and Canada on February 2 and this year marks the 132nd Groundhog Day in Pennsylvania.
Groundhog Day is marked officially in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, with a groundhog named Punxsutawney Phil who lives on a small hill in the nearby town of Gobbler’s Knob.
While observed in many parts of the USA, Groundhog Day is not a public holiday but the event attracts widespread attention from fans.
Another groundhog named Chuck predicted the weather on Friday morning in Staten Island.
Chuck began his appearance by embarking on a small elevator as he entered his enclosure, which is branded as the “Chuck-a-vator” by locals.
According to Staten Island’s famous groundhog Chuck, aka Charles G. Hogg, spring is on its way earlier than expected.
According to the Staten Island Zoo, Chuck has an almost 80 percent accuracy rate with his weather forecast.
Chuck’s Groundhog Day enclosure was changed after an outing in 2014 ended in disaster.
In 2014 Charlotte, a female groundhog posing as Chuck, fell several feet after being dropped by Mayor Bill de Blasio.
Charlotte died from “acute internal injuries” a week later but Zoo officials said it was unclear whether the death was related to the fall.