The first official Groundhog Day was in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, on Feb. 2, 1887.

Groundhog Day is a tradition where it is rumored that if the groundhog comes out of its burrow and sees its shadow, that there will be six more weeks of winter.

Originally brought to the U.S. by German immigrants, Groundhog Day has roots in pre-Christian traditions. 

As christianity spread through Europe it was thought to be that if there were sunny candlemas, there would be 40 more days of cold and snow. 

As time passed, Germans adapted their own version of this legend. 

The Germans version of the tradition was based on if badgers or small animals saw their shadows, the day was sunny and there would be more winter weather. 

When German immigrants settled in the U.S. during the 18th and 19th century, they brought this tradition along with them, switching from a badger to the native groundhog. 

The first official Groundhog Day was mentioned by local newspaper editor Clymer Freas.

Freas sold the idea to a group of businessmen and groundhog hunters who were known as the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club. 

The men hiked to a site called Gobbler’s Knob where the inaugural groundhog would see its shadow, forecasting more wintery weather. 

This was the first official groundhog day and has been celebrated since then. 

Groundhog Day has been celebrated for more than 150 years, and it continues to be an annual holiday, occurring on Feb. 2.

The groundhog is described to have seen its shadow this past Feb. 2, so it is predicted that there will be about six more weeks of winter weather. 

These predictions from the groundhog can have effects on a variety of things, one of these being sports. 

The wintery weather can push back sports that occur in the spring and prolong the winter ones.

Winter sports such as snowboarding and skiing may be able to continue for a couple more weeks, but winter sports such as track or golf may be pushed back for a couple of weeks due to the wintery weather. 

Groundhog Day is an annual tradition that has made a major impact in the way people live today and in the past.

The holiday will continue to predict weather for many more years to come.