SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WGGB/WSHM) -- With Monday being Groundhog Day, many are asking the question: what will Punxsutawney Phil’s prediction be? Are we getting an early spring, or six more weeks of winter?

According to Punxsutawney Phil we could possibly see another 6 weeks of winter. Western Mass News spoke with a few residents in the area who were late to hear Phil’s final prediction for 2026.

We went to speak with some shoppers in our area, where Deborah Salemi said, “I believe it. Absolutely. I believe it. Yeah. I think he was right. I think he’s right.”

That doesn’t mean everyone is happy to see winter carry on for a few more weeks.

“What about you? Yeah, well, it stinks. It what? It stinks. What stinks? I want spring.

She wants spring? I love the snow,” another shopper named Annemarae Dupuis said in reaction to the news.

We also checked in with our First Alert Meteorologist Liam Murphy, who says unfortunately there could be some truth to Punxsutawney Phil’s predictions. “Well, I will say, lately I would say January was a colder-than-average month. February so far is expected to be a bit on the colder side, and when we look at the long-term forecast, this is where we’re just trying to follow trends; we do have higher probabilities that we may trend colder. So, maybe this year the groundhog is on to something. So, we’ll see,” Liam explains.

The graphic above made by Liam shows that when you take a look at Phil’s track record, according to Liam’s math, his average is a C+.

“So, I mean, hey, C’s get degrees, but we’ll have to really pan out and see where things go,” he continues.

Whether you believe Punxsutawney Phil or not, you can always stay up to date with the here on our website or on our app.

Copyright 2026 Western Mass News (WGGB/WSHM). All rights reserved.