Punxsutawney Phil has become synonymous with Groundhog Day. The Pennsylvania tradition that started in the late 19th century has become one of the country's most well-known non-major holiday traditions.

In the cold early hours of Sunday, Feb. 2, the “Seer of Seers” will emerge from his cozy burrow in Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney, Pa., to proclaim whether or not there will be six more weeks of winter weather.

Groundhog Day predictions about the coming of spring put the spotlight on Punxsutawney Phil every Feb. 2, but celebrating the midpoint between the shortest and darkest day of the year and the spring equinox has ancient roots in European agricultural life.