Punxsutawney Phil: Clairvoyant or Scammer?
Every February 2, the lore of a mythical groundhog draws thousands of spectators from all over the world to a small town 80 miles north of Pittsburgh. Punxsutawney Phil sits on his stump and predicts the weather; if he doesn’t see his shadow, that means an early spring. But how accurate are his predictions — and why does PA ride so hard for a rodent? We're teaming up with City Cast Philly this Groundhog Day to learn whether Punxsutawney Phil is the true "seer of seers" or just a groundhog who digs meteorology.
They’re joined by two people who spend a lot of time around groundhogs: AJ Dereume, who is Phil’s handler, and Dr. Stam Zervanos, who has studied groundhogs for two decades.
Our newsletter is fresh daily at 6 a.m. Sign up here. We’re also on Twitter @citycastpgh & Instagram @CityCastPgh!
Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Stay connected to City Cast Pittsburgh and get ready to join the local conversation.
Latest Episodes
What To Do During an ICE Encounter in Pittsburgh
Community leaders and business owners in Beechview — the heart of Pittsburgh's Latino community — say ICE activity has been increasi...

Won't You Be a Reader? The Campaign to Raise Lifelong Readers {SPONSORED}
On this bonus episode sponsored by the Grable Foundation, we're talking about a local push to make sure every child has access to the boo...

Does Pittsburgh Have the Meats? A Guide to Pittsburgh BBQ
Can Pittsburgh hold its own when it comes to barbecue? We definitely don’t have the smoked-meat reputation of Texas or the Carolinas, but...

‘Your City Could Be Better’: How Las Vegas Is Handling Record-Breaking Heat — Presented By City Cast Pittsburgh
It may not feel like it right now, but extreme heat is coming for Pittsburgh, and Las Vegas might have the answers you need. An already s...

Iceburgh Loaf Pan, Fetterman's GOP Lovefest & Pittsburgh Remembers 9/11
Today marks the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks. Western PA was directly affected: one of the hijacked planes crashed...

Piggy Races, Corn Pits & More Pittsburgh Fall Fun
Is apple picking overrated? Are ping pong and piggy races uniquely autumnal? Would you like to make a snow (corn?) angel in a pit of drie...

The Latest John Fetterman Bombshell, Explained
U.S. Senator John Fetterman’s former staffers have a lot to say about his public behavior and private comments, according to a new exposé...

Perfecting the Pittsburgh Dialect
Pittsburghese is full of fun terms and quirks, like (lovingly) referring to your nosy neighbor as nebby or saying it's slippy aht. But ho...

‘Your City Could Be Better’: How Nashville Is Beating Flock — Presented By City Cast Pittsburgh
Do you know what kind of surveillance technology is being used in Pittsburgh? In Nashville, the city government has blocked numerous meas...

Duolingo’s Iran War Problem, Airport Auctions & Eviction Wins
The Trump Administration’s latest round of sanctions against Iran, dubbed “Operation Economic Outcast,” includes restrictions on cooperat...


