34- What is it with Groundhog Day?

I've never really understood it. I always thought it just one more reason to have a party in the middle of winter. It always sort of puzzled me that if it's cloudy that means winter is nearly over??? The movie Groundhog Day on the other hand is very funny.

from Wikipedia:

Groundhog Day is a holiday celebrated on February 2nd in the United States and Canada. According to folklore, if it is cloudy when a groundhog emerges from its burrow on this day, it will leave the burrow, signifying that winter-like weather will soon end. If it is sunny, the groundhog will supposedly see its shadow and retreat back into its burrow, and the winter weather will continue for six more weeks.^[1]

An early American reference to Groundhog Day can be found in a diary entry,^[8] dated February 5, 1841, of Berks County, Pennsylvania, storekeeper James Morris:

Last Tuesday, the 2nd, was Candlemas day, the day on which, according to the Germans,^[9] the Groundhog peeps out of his winter quarters and if he sees his shadow he pops back for another six weeks nap, but if the day be cloudy he remains out, as the weather is to be moderate.