Groundhog Day
If the day is murky, groundhog does not see its shadow and calmly leaves the holt – winter will finish soon and spring is expected to come early this year. Whether day is sunny, groundhog sees its shadow and hides in the holt – six weeks of winter are about to last. In several cities and settlements of USA and Canada this day, festivals attended by numerous tourists are held dedicated to the local meteorological groundhogs.
The history of holiday appearance throws back, when on the 2-nd of February, according to Gregorian calendar, European Christians began celebration of Candlemas Day. Back at that time, verily this day weather was regarded as responsible for the type of forthcoming beginning of long anticipated spring.
In Northern America up to now, the old Scottish proverb is popular: If Candlemas Day is bright and clear, there'll be two winters in the year.
Human tradition to shift the responsibility of long-term forecasts to the shoulders of «dumb animals» started even in Ancient Rome where on the 2-nd of February each year Day of Hedgehog was celebrated. This day weather forecast was launched according to the behavior of awakened hedgehog, which saw or did not see its shade. Citizens of Western Europe preserved this tradition even in later periods, and emigrators in Northern America at the proper time together with other practices caught this one. Over the sea where hedgehogs did not dwell, the role of responsible meteorologist came towards the groundhog.
Currently there are seven most famous groundhogs-meteorologists in the world: Punxsutawney Phil, Wiarton Willie, Staten Island Chuck, Shubenacadie Sam, Balzac Billy, Jimmy the Groundhog, and General Beauregard Lee.
The groundhog living on the Gobbler’s Knob of Punxsutawney city, in the hills of Pennsylvania (USA) is the first official groundhog-meteorologist. For more than one hundred twenty years, starting with 1886, people follow the forecasts of Pennsylvanian groundhog. In honor of this event, in the state there is annual festival became known all over the world after display of film «Groundhog Day» the star of which is groundhog nicknamed Phil – the most famous «gnawer – weather predictor» in America.
