(Punxsutawney, PA) - An early spring is in the forecast on this Groundhog Day, which shouldn’t come as a surprise, perhaps, because of what’s been a mostly mild winter.

Punxsutawney Phil, the beloved weather-predicting groundhog as tradition would have it, did not see his shadow this morning, which indicates an early spring.  

There’s been a groundhog predicting an early spring or late winter at Gobbler’s Knob, the home of Punxsutawney Phil in Pennsylvania, since 1887.

Thousands of people, as usual, turned out for the long-celebrated event.