Weather records pointed to Chuck\u2019s accuracy that year.<\/p>\n
Phil and his partner, Phyllis, made headlines in 2024 when they welcomed two baby groundhogs in March of that year, a first for the groundhog since 1886, according to the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club.<\/p>\n
And Phil made headlines last year, and again in 2026, as the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals continue to call for him to be replaced with a holographic image.<\/a> PETA said the animal is being exploited as he is trotted out annually before 30,000 people as he participates in lead-up activities.<\/p>\n PETA said that Phil should be left to hibernate in peace.<\/p>\n Annual tradition<\/p>\n The annual event of having Punxsutawney Phil predict weather dates back to Feb. 2, 1887, in Punxsutawney. The tradition stems from a Pennsylvania Dutch legend shared by German immigrants who settled in the state.<\/p>\n Punxsutawney Phil may be one of the most well-known groundhogs, but it seems Staten Island\u2019s Chuck has a better record and a devoted following of his own.<\/p>\n Each year, Punxsutawney Phil and Staten Island Chuck duke it out for accurate Groundhog Day predictions<\/a>. According to the Staten Island Zoo<\/a>, more often than not, it\u2019s Chuck who gets it right.<\/p>\n As of 2024, Chuck has an 85% accuracy rate that dates back to 1981, his first year on the job, significantly higher than Punxsutawney Phil\u2019s accuracy of 39% since 1887, Staten Island Zoo reports. <\/p>\n In 2025, when Chuck predicted an early spring<\/a> and Phil did not, weather research, including an analysis conducted by students at Susan E. Wagner High School, backs Chuck up. It appears that while Chuck\u2019s accuracy continued, Phil\u2019s fell short again that year. <\/p>\n Facts about Punxsutawney Phil <\/p>\n The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club<\/a> shared a few facts about the most famous furry prognosticator to call Pennsylvania home:<\/p>\n 1. Phil speaks a special language<\/p>\n When Phil emerges from his burrow at Gobbler\u2019s Knob in Western Pennsylvania, he delivers his weather prediction in a unique language known as Groundhogese, the club said. Only the president of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club can understand this language. After Phil communicates whether he has seen his shadow, the president translates the proclamation for everyone to hear.<\/p>\n 2. How old is Phil?<\/p>\n According to Groundhog Club members, there has only been one Phil \u2014 and he has been predicting since 1887. That makes him over 135 years old. (Science tells us that groundhogs live only 14 years in captivity, so younger groundhogs have stepped in through the decades.) <\/p>\n 3. The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club<\/p>\n The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club was founded in 1887 by a group of groundhog hunters. Among the members was the editor of the Punxsutawney newspaper, who boldly declared that Punxsutawney Phil was the one and only true weather-predicting groundhog.<\/p>\n 4. The Inner Circle<\/p>\n The Inner Circle is a group of dignitaries who are responsible for carrying out the Groundhog Day traditions and festivities. They are also responsible for caring for Punxsutawney Phil throughout the year.<\/p>\n 5. Famous faces<\/p>\n In 2025, Anne M. Ryan, deputy secretary of tourism for the Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economy, was the guest speaker at the Groundhog Club\u2019s Annual Groundhog Banquet.During Prohibition, Phil threatened to impose 60 weeks of winter on the community if he wasn\u2019t allowed a drink.In 1981 Phil wore a yellow ribbon in honor of the American hostages in Iran.In 1996, Sega donated $10,000 to the Groundhog Club as Punxsutawney helped promote Sega\u2019s newest game at the time, \u201cSonic the Hedgehog 3.\u201dIn March 2015, Punxsutawney and members of the Inner Circle traveled to Indianapolis, Indiana, to participate in the March Madness college basketball bracket picking challenge against Dick Vitale.<\/p>\n 6. Phil\u2019s prediction<\/p>\n While the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club said that Phil is correct 100% of the time, according to the StormFax Weather Almanac<\/a>, Phil has an overall accuracy rate of 39% over the course of his career.<\/p>\n Feb. 2 forecast details<\/p>\n Punxsutawney Phil:<\/p>\n![\"Punxsutawney](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/2TOW24TS7VFG3J5OIFXJ3YRKAU.jpg\")
Dereume holds Punxsutawney Phil during the 135th celebration of Groundhog Day in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2021. (Associated Press\/Barry Reeger)Record of accuracy<\/p>\n