History of Phil and What His Prediction Means for Us!

Punxsutawney Phil has 'spoken' and according to him, we can expect to be blessed with an early spring! YES!!! Now... we hope that's accurate, but knowing Phil's track record, it's tough to say. So, how did Phil become the go-to source for forecasting the length of winter and what do his predictions mean? This week, A B Pest Control & Insulation thought it'd be fun to share with you some history on Punxsutawney Phil and what his prediction might mean for us!

Punxsutawney Phil's Predictions
As the legend goes, if Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow on Feb. 2, six more weeks of winter weather lay ahead; no shadow indicates an early spring. Phil, a groundhog(s), has been forecasting the weather on Groundhog Day for more than 120 years, but just how good is he at his job? Not very, it turns out. According to record, Punxsutawney Phil has predicted 103 forecasts of more winter and 19 early springs, and didn't bother showing up on 9 occasions.

Upon reviewing Phil's forecast against actual weather, it's been proven that his predictions have only been correct around 36% of the time. According to Accuweather, we should expect a long winter, though not as long as last year's. So, what do you think? Are you going with Punxsutawney Phil's prediction of an early spring, or do you think we'll have another drawn out winter this year?

How Did Phil Get the Job?
Groundhog's Day stems back from German tradition, brought over in the 1800s. German tradition holds that if the sun comes out on Candlemas, the precursor to Groundhog Day, the hedgehog (or badger) will see its shadow and six more weeks of winter will follow. When German settlers came to Pennsylvania they continued this tradition, using groundhogs instead of hedgehogs to predict the weather.

The legendary first Groundhog Day trip to Gobbler's Knob was made the following year by a group of spirited groundhog hunters who dubbed themselves "The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club." Clymer Freas, a member of the club and a newspaper editor, used his editorial clout to proclaim that Phil, the Punxsutawney Groundhog, was the one and only official weather prognosticating groundhog. Punxsutawney Phil was first tasked with predicting the upcoming spring weather on February 2, 1886.

From then on, the news spread and newspapers around the world began sharing Phil's predictions. Fans from all over the place would travel to Punxsutawney, PA to visit Phil on February 2 every year. And after the filming of 'Groundhogs Day' in 1993 starring Bill Murray, crowds started pouring in numbering in the tens of thousands! For having only a 36% accuracy rate, this guy is quite the star!

We're No Punxsutawney Phil, But...
While we can't say with certainty whether we can expect to have another 6 weeks of winter or not, we can say for sure that it's essential to continue your pest control treatments all year round to avoid any unwelcome pests from seeking shelter from the cold in your home. And if we do get to see spring a little earlier this year, you'll for sure want to have your pest control treatments scheduled. After all, spring brings rain, and pests will be looking for a dry place to hide out during those spring storms. Let A B Pest Control & Insulation protect your home from pests no matter what season it is!

Lake of the Ozarks

Pest Control Company

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www.abpest.net

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