Punxsutawney Phil sees shadow; six more weeks of winter

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PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa., Feb. 2 (UPI) -- Winter will be hanging around for another six weeks -- Pennsylvania's famed Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow Thursday.

And for his effort, the rodent got booed by the crowd, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported.

About 18,000 people gathered before dawn around Gobbler's Knob in the town about an hour from Pittsburgh to learn what the four-legged prognosticator saw -- or didn't see.

Legend says if Phil sees his shadow, winter will last another six weeks. If he doesn't see his shadow, spring will arrive in the same time frame: six weeks.

Forecasters at Accuweather.com took issue with Phil's prognostications.

"There is some winter left on the table, but not a full six weeks for most of the U.S.," said Paul Pastelok, expert long-range meteorologist and leader of the AccuWeather.com Long-Range Forecasting Team, after Phil's prognostication.

Pastelok said a severe cold snap is expected in the Great Lakes and Northeast with one or two big storms possible, but by the end of the month and through March, milder weather should predominate.

In Woodstock, Ill., where the 1993 film "Groundhog Day" was shot, Woodstock Willie predicted an early spring.