The District's favorite rodent is back for Groundhog Day 2023: Potomac Phil has emerged, and he didn't see his shadow this year.
That means we're set to get an early spring, according to Phil.
Unfortunately, his forecast for the nation's political climate is less optimistic. Phil, as usual, predicts six more months of political gridlock in our future.
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Those familiar with Groundhog Day in the U.S. may already know Punxatawney Phil, the live groundhog that emerges from his Pennsylvania burrow to predict the weather for the nation each year.
But those in the D.C. area rely on Potomac Phil, a taxidermied groundhog holding a corn cob.
Potomac Phil makes predictions for our weather and our political situation every year during nonprofit Dupont Festival's Groundhog Day celebration. This year, the Groundhog Day festivities in Dupont Circle fell on a Thursday.
"Potomac Phil, the National Groundhog, will make an appearance and offer weather and political predictions," the nonprofit's description of the event read. "Phil will let us know whether to expect six more weeks of winter or an early spring."
The celebration promised "Music, polka dancers, puppet show, lots of coffee, VIP celebrities and more" at the Dupont Circle fountain.
The nonprofit also warned visitors that the timing would not be exact, in keeping with the marmot's typical attitude: "Potomac Phil will emerge at approximately 8:30AM or whenever he damn well pleases."
Continuing his contrarian streak, Potomac Phil's promise of an early spring goes directly against the predictions of Punxatawney Phil, whose rhyming verse said we'll see six more weeks of winter.
According to Potomac Phil's handlers, he's actually the brother of Pennsylvania's famous marmot. Which of the two siblings has the more accurate prediction for the weather is yet to be seen.
