Groundhog Day is here, and the northern Illinois finds itself in a bind with conflicting predictions from two leading groundhogs.
What does Woodstock Willie say?
Woodstock Willie, the centerpiece of Woodstock Groundhog Days, did not see his shadow.
“That means we’re hoping for an early spring!” organizers wrote on their Facebook page Monday morning, noting that that public is welcome to join in festivities that continue throughout Monday.
What does Punxsutawney Phil say?
The rest of the nation’s attention turned to Pennsylvania, where, according to USA Today, Punxsutawney Phil did see his shadow on Monday, Feb. 2, which means there will be six more weeks of winter.
A. J. Dereume − Phil’s handler − pulled the groundhog from his burrow and presented him to the crowd. Tom Dunkel − president of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club − then translated Phil’s prediction.
When is Groundhog Day 2026?
Groundhog Day is observed in the U.S. and Canada on Feb. 2 every year.
It fell on a Monday in 2026.
How does Groundhog Day work? What does it mean if the groundhog sees his shadow?
There are two possible outcomes on Groundhog Day:
Did the groundhog see his shadow 2026? Is Punxsutawney Phil prediction for late winter or early spring?
Watch Punxsutawney Phil 2026 prediction
How accurate are Punxsutawney Phil’s predictions?
Punxsutawney Phil has now seen his shadow 108 times, or 84% of the 129 times he has predicted the weather, according to the Groundhog Club’s archives. He observed his shadow every year between 1903 and 1933, making 31 his longest run.
In his more than 135 years of experience, he has an overall accuracy rating of just 35%, according to NOAA.
NOAA forecasts warmer spring for parts of US
NOAA’s temperature outlook for February, March and April 2026 forecasts warmer than average temperatures across the majority of the U.S. – especially in the South, East and Southwest.
In Illinois, there’s an equal chance of above and below average temperatures.
CONTRIBUTING: Janet Loehrke, USA TODAY, and Jane Fosberry Enos, USA TODAY Co.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Did Woodstock Willie see his shadow today? Watch Groundhog Day prediction
Reporting by Hannah Hudnall and Chris Sims, Peoria Journal Star / Journal Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
