Doc Horsley dedicates a class session to debunk the theories that animals can predict the weather. He focuses on Groundhog Day, the most famous animal weather predictions.

It’s kinda funny. It’s the only myth that has hung on all this time, said Horsley, a professor of meteorology. Most of the research shows that [seeing it’s shadow] is based on something else not just the weather.

The groundhog myth states that if the groundhog sees its shadow that there will be an early spring, and if there is no shadow there will be six more weeks of winter.

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The forecast for Groundhog Day, today, in Carbondale is mostly cloudy, and for Punxsutawney, Pa., the forecast is partly cloudy.

Horsley does not believe in the myth of the groundhog being able to predict the weather.

If you could use it as a forecast, why would clouds over a town in Pennsylvania affect what the weather is like in another part of the country? Horsley said.

Horsley believes Groundhog Day celebrations are tourist attractions. He said there has always been a lot of media coverage on the groundhog’s prediction.

The legend of Groundhog Day started in the early 1700s, when the Native Americans believed they were born as woodchucks.

In Europe, Groundhog Day extended from Candlemas Day, where clergy blessed candles and passed them out to people. If there was sun on Candlemas Day, it was believed that there would be six more weeks of winter, and if there were clouds there will be an early spring.

Germans picked up the tradition and concluded that if on Candlemas Day there was sun a hedgehog would see its shadow, making a new tradition.

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When the Germans came to America, they brought the legend of the weather predicting hedgehog with them. Because no hedgehogs existed in America, Germans found groundhogs would suffice.

In the summer of 1887, Clymer H. Freas, and a group of his friends, were out hunting groundhogs and drinking. Inspired by the fellowship or possibly the beer Freas and his friends started the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club.

The club continued the Feb. 2 tradition, naming the day Groundhog Day. The weather predicting groundhog was named Punxsutawney Phil after the town.

The town of Punxsutawney, Pa., would be unknown if it was not for Punxsutawney Phil and the celebration in his honor.

Phil has seen his shadow 88 times since 1887 and has seen no shadow 13 times.

Horsley said the prediction of the groundhog are not of any use to the actual weather forecast.

It is not relevant to real use, he said. If the groundhog was able to predict the weather better than the National Weather Service, then why is there still a weather service?

The National Weather Service is 84 percent accurate and the groundhog is 22 percent accurate, which is really less than guessing.

But, there are still those who still believe in the predictions of the groundhog.

Mary Kaufman, junior in zoology from Dongola, said she follows Phil’s appearance every year and believes he will see no shadow.

You’d like to think that if there is not sunshine on that day that there would be less winter, she said.

Based on the weather that we have had this week, I think that it will be an early spring.

Horsley said he will continue to rely on what the National Weather service has to say about upcoming weather.

It’s illogical to make such a large prediction from such a small area, he said. In any spot, anyone can look up and make a long-term prediction, but you need to look at the whole hemisphere to make an accurate prediction.