What's The Story Behind Groundhog Day?

(CBS Local) -- The biggest Groundhog Day celebration in the country makes its home in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.

The tradition was brought over by German immigrants, who only turned to the groundhog because the badgers they used before were not found in the area they settled on the east coast.

In the more than 130 years of groundhog forecasting in Punxsutawney, there have been 103 shadows (which means six more week of winter) and 18 no shadows (which means early spring).

The Stormfax Weather Almanac claims that since 1887, Phil's forecasts have only been correct 39 percent of the time - but we choose to believe in him anyway.

One more fun fact: The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club says Punxsutawney Phil is 131 years old and gets his longevity from drinking groundhog punch. (They say it is a secret recipe.)

(Here in New York City with our own local groundhog diviner, Staten Island Chuck, has not been so lucky. In 2014, Chuck fell several feet from Mayor Bill de Blasio's hands and later died.)