Punxsutawney, Pa. ? In a decades-old tradition, Americans looked to a groundhog to predict whether they should expect another six weeks of winter weather. This morning, the creature’s involuntary answer appeared to be yes.

The groundhog, dubbed Punxsutawney Phil for the town in which he burrows, saw his shadow. According to the tradition, if the hibernating animal sees his shadow on Feb. 2, one can expect six more weeks of chilly weather. If he doesn’t see his shadow, warmer weather is near.

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There were a few boos, but it was hard many complaints among the crowd of thousands since North America has been experiencing mostly mild winter weather. This morning temperature was well above freezing and today’s high was expected to hit 48 degrees (9 Celsius).

The tradition is believed to have originated with a German superstition. The Germans believed that if a hibernating animal casts a shadow Feb. 2 — the Christian holiday of Candlemas — winter will last another six weeks. If no shadow is seen, legend says spring will come early.

The tradition was featured in the 1993 movie “Groundhog Day,” starring Bill Murray as a cynical weatherman who becomes stuck in a deja vu scenario when he is sent to cover the event.

According to the Groundhog Club, Phil has now seen his shadow 96 times, hasn’t seen it 14 times and there are no records for nine years. The last time Phil failed to see his shadow was in 1999.

Some of the onlookers had been waiting hours for Phil to emerge.

“It’s been really wonderful. This is just a ball. I’m having so much fun,” said Nancy Durr, who came from Nebraska to this small western Pennsylvania town about 65 miles (105 kilometers) north of Pittsburgh to celebrate her 50th birthday.

She had been outside awaiting Phil’s arrival since about 2:15 a.m., a rub-on Punxsutawney Phil tattoo on each cheek. He didn’t emerge until around 7:30 a.m.

Others latched on to the Phil frenzy for a publicity boost — for just about anything, from global warming to the lottery. The groundhog’s brief emergence is televised on national news programs.

The National Environmental Trust said its groundhog-suit-wearing human “will ignore his shadow and will instead rely on global warming evidence to forecast an early spring.”

The American Physiological Society was offering experts to discuss “What Punxsutawney Phil can teach us about surviving massive blood loss, preventing muscle atrophy, and more.”

The Pennsylvania Lottery even has Gus, “the second most famous groundhog in Pennsylvania,” who implores lottery players to “keep on scratchin’.”

None of those things are really what Groundhog Day is about, said Mike Johnston, a member of the Groundhog Club’s Inner Circle. Punxsutawney Phil is nonpolitical and can’t speak anyway, Johnston said.