Mother Nature seemed to favor the Poconos’ resident stuffed groundhog on Sunday when several inches of fluffy snow fell unexpectedly in some parts of the area.

“Six more weeks of winter. I’m sorry but that is going to happen. It’s a little early to tell,” said Neal Murphy, weather forecaster for Groundhog Lodge No. 6 of Monroe County.

About 30 people and a few leashed dogs gathered outside Cherry’s Diner, just as the sun was coming up Sunday morning and schnogadahl Sammi would have seen her shadow.

Lodge president Earl Meckes read a prayer in English and Pennsylvania Dutch before Murphy shared Sammi’s prediction in both languages.

Sammi, a mounted groundhog, has been their mascot and weather predictor for many years. She was preserved by a local taxidermist and lives in a closet at lodge secretary Bruce George’s house all year long.

They have gathered at the diner in Kresgeville for more than 25 years.

“We chose the diner because of its central location and we can have breakfast too,” said Ike Christman, the lodge’s fuder maishder (food master).

Most of the group gathered inside for breakfast, coffee and story-sharing around the table.

“This is an interesting slice of Americana that needs to be supported,” said Gene Kearney of Scranton.

He and his fiancee Laura Troy have attended this event a few times and have also traveled to see Punxsutawney Phil give his prediction.

The lodge will host its annual banquet on Feb. 28 at Polk Township Volunteer Fire Company.

Phil’s prediction

Out in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania’s most famous groundhog declared: “Spring will be early, it’s a certainty.”

At sunrise, members of Punxsutawney Phil’s top hat-wearing inner circle revealed the cuddly oracle’s prediction — his 134th, according to the Pennsylvania Tourism Office.

Awakened by the crowd’s chants of “Phil!” the groundhog was hoisted in the air for the assembly to hail before making his decision. He then grasped the glove of a handler as a member of his inner circle announced that spring would come early this year.

The annual event has its origin in a German legend that says if a furry rodent casts a shadow on Feb. 2, winter continues. If not, spring comes early.

In reality, Phil’s prediction is decided ahead of time by the group on Gobbler’s Knob, a tiny hill just outside Punxsutawney.

Over the past five years — from 2015 through 2019 — Phil has predicted six more weeks of winter thrice and an early spring twice.

According to records dating back to 1887, the Pennsylvanian prognosticator has predicted more winter more than 100 times, making this year’s forecast a rare one overall.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.