Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow on Groundhog Day 2026; Jacksonville turns sunnier after midweek changes

Groundhog Day 2026 outcome: a shadow and a familiar winter prediction

Punxsutawney Phil, the groundhog featured in the annual Groundhog Day ceremony in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, saw his shadow on Feb. 2, 2026. Under the tradition’s rules, a shadow sighting is interpreted as a signal for six more weeks of winter.

The event, staged each year at Gobbler’s Knob, is a long-running U.S. winter ritual that draws national attention regardless of meteorological realities. The shadow-or-no-shadow format is a symbolic forecast rather than a scientific method, but it remains a widely recognized seasonal marker at the start of February.

What the tradition means—and what it does not

The Groundhog Day prediction is not produced through atmospheric measurements, modeling, or local observations. Instead, it is a ceremonial call tied to folklore: if the animal “sees” its shadow in the morning light, winter is said to continue; if not, an early spring is said to be near.

For Florida readers, the more practical question is how the upcoming week actually looks on the calendar—especially as North Florida temperatures can swing sharply during winter cold fronts.

Jacksonville forecast: a colder start, then a warmer and brighter stretch

In Jacksonville, the week beginning Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026 starts cool under partly sunny skies, with an afternoon high near 63°F and a low around 37°F. A warmer step arrives Wednesday, Feb. 4, with a high near 71°F and a low around 46°F, alongside a chance for a late-day shower in the area.

Conditions shift again Thursday, Feb. 5, as breezier and cooler weather returns, bringing a high near 57°F and a low around 36°F. From Friday through early next week, Jacksonville’s forecast trends drier and brighter, with repeated calls for sunshine and daytime highs generally in the mid-to-upper 60s.

• Fri, Feb. 6: Sunny; 65°F / 44°F
• Sat, Feb. 7: Sunny; 69°F / 36°F
• Sun, Feb. 8: Sunny; 67°F / 43°F
• Mon, Feb. 9: Windy and sunny; 67°F / 46°F

While Groundhog Day centers on a single, symbolic prediction, Jacksonville’s outlook for Feb. 3–9 features clear day-to-day changes: a midweek warm-up, a cooler and breezier Thursday, and a sunnier stretch heading into the weekend.

With overnight lows dipping into the 30s at times, North Florida residents may still want jackets for early mornings and evenings even as the region sees more sunshine and seasonable afternoons later in the week.