America's Cutest Meteorologist Reports for Duty Monday

Punxsutawney, PA - In one of America's most charming mid-winter traditions, thousands of people will gather before dawn on Monday to watch a groundhog named Phil emerge from his burrow and deliver his annual weather forecast.

It's delightfully low-tech, wonderfully quirky, and exactly the kind of wholesome spectacle we need in the dead of winter when everyone's desperate for a sign that spring is coming.

The Forecast: Phil's Probably Seeing His Shadow

If you're hoping Phil will predict an early spring on February 2, meteorologists are urging caution. The numbers—and the weather pattern—aren't exactly working in spring's favor this year.

According to Senior Meteorologist Chad Merrill, Phil has historically seen his shadow and predicted six more weeks of winter 84% of the time. That's a pretty consistent track record, even if it's not the news most of us want to hear.