Famous "meteorologist" Whistler Phil predicts six more weeks of winter

Great news for all those who were hoping for an early end to the frost in the United States: the famous Phil the Whistler saw his shadow on Whistle Day, according to American media. That means six more weeks of winter ahead.

Early on the morning of 2 February, thousands of curious people gathered in the Panxuton area of Pennsylvania, as they do every year, not to miss the rodent's prediction. Members of the long-established „Whistle Club“ pulled Phil out of his cave and, after „interviewing“ him, presented the results.

Phil has been making his predictions for more than 130 years. His age is a taboo subject in Panxutony. In reality, whistlers only live to about ten years. However, Phil is said to be given a special potion to drink every year that prolongs his life, winking at the ever-emphasizing „Whistle Club  members.

According to the club, any discrepancies between the actual weather and Phil's prediction are a translation error – his predictions are supposedly always correct. However, not half of the whistler's predictions were correct – flipping a coin would make the prediction even more accurate.

This tradition has its origins in German immigrants, who used the whistler's behaviour to predict when sowing would begin. The tradition became world famous with the 1993 comedy "Groundhog Day".