<Tr> <Th> Frequency </Th> <Td> Annual </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Related to </Th> <Td> Candlemas </Td> </Tr> <P> Groundhog Day, (Pennsylvania German: Grund'sau dåk, Grundsaudaag, Grundsow Dawg, Murmeltiertag; Nova Scotia: Daks Day) is a popular tradition celebrated in the United States and Canada on February 2 . It derives from the Pennsylvania Dutch superstition that if a groundhog (Deitsch: Grundsau, Grunddax, Dax) emerging from its burrow on this day sees a shadow due to clear weather, it will retreat to its den and winter will persist for six more weeks, and if it does not see its shadow because of cloudiness, spring will arrive early . While the tradition remains popular in modern times, studies have found no consistent correlation between a groundhog seeing its shadow or not and the subsequent arrival time of spring - like weather . </P> <P> The weather lore was brought from German - speaking areas where the badger (German: dachs) is the forecasting animal . This appears to be an enhanced version of the lore that clear weather on Candlemas forebodes a prolonged winter . </P>

How to tell if the groundhog sees his shadow