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PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. — <\/span>It’s already been a long, cold winter across much of the United States, and on Monday, Punxsutawney Phil’s handlers will announce whether the weather-predicting groundhog says there’s more of the same to come.<\/p>\n When Phil is said to have seen his shadow upon emergence from a tree stump in rural Pennsylvania, that’s considered a forecast for six more weeks of winter. If he doesn’t see his shadow, an early spring is said to be on the way.<\/p>\n Tens of thousands of people will be on hand at Gobbler’s Knob for the annual ritual that goes back more than a century, with ties to ancient farming traditions in Europe. Punxsutawney’s festivities have grown considerably since the 1993 movie \u201cGroundhog Day,\u201d starring Bill Murray.<\/p>\n Last year\u2019s announcement was six more weeks of winter, by far Phil\u2019s more common assessment and not much of a surprise during the first week of February. His top-hatted handlers in the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club insist Phil\u2019s \u201cgroundhogese\u201d of winks, purrs, chatters and nods are being interpreted when they relate the meterological marmot\u2019s muses about the days ahead.<\/p>\n Phil isn’t the only animal being consulted for long-term weather forecasts Monday. There are formal and informal Groundhog Day events in many places in the U.S., Canada and beyond.<\/p>\n Groundhog Day falls on Feb. 2, the midpoint between the shortest, darkest day of the year on the winter solstice and the spring equinox. It\u2019s a time of year that also figures in the Celtic calendar and the Christian holiday of Candlemas<\/a>.<\/p>\n ___<\/p>\n Scolforo reported from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n