What Time Does the Groundhog Come Out?

By Staff WriterLast Updated April 03, 2020

There is no specific time as to when a groundhog will come out from hibernation. However, it is known that these creatures, also known as woodchucks, sleep until spring.

The popular American custom of celebrating Groundhog Day on February 2 comes from a folklore about groundhog hibernation. According to the story, if the sun is shining when a groundhog comes out from its burrow on this day, it will see its shadow and return back into its home. Then there will be six more weeks of the winter weather. If the day happens to be cloudy, then spring will arrive early. The first ever Groundhog Day was celebrated on February 2, 1886, in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania,