Punxsutawney Phil takes over the internet on Groundhog Day

Good news: Punxsutawney Phil did not see his shadow, meaning we're (supposedly) getting an early spring. For this New Yorker completely fed up with cold and dreary weather, that's a welcome sign.

When you really break down this tradition — man-handling an oversized rodent to glean info about future weather — it is truly deranged. It's an (admittedly silly) modern version of reading the entrails to determined the gods' will. It's weird. Sit and think about it for a minute. It's really freaking weird!

For some reason, the internet really latched onto that fact this year. There were so many memes and jokes about Phil and his other divine groundhog brethren. Here are some of the best.

See this person gets it.

Tweet may have been deleted

Apparently Phil isn't even very good.

Tweet may have been deleted

Or maybe he is?

Tweet may have been deleted

OK but why does Phil kind of look like Guy Fieri?

Tweet may have been deleted

This would be only slightly more weird.

Tweet may have been deleted

They simply cannot guard him.

• Sip back, relax, and enjoy these Josh wine memes because the internet has just discovered Josh Cellars
• Stephen Colbert has some brutal jokes about Tucker Carlson's streaming network
• Is Ayo Edebiri Irish? A guide to the internet's best joke.
• The best memes of 2023
• That's a spicy meatball: Musk's tweet about Zuck fight sparks hilarious Italian-inspired memes

Tweet may have been deleted

It would be scary if Phil did grasp the weight of his duty.

Tweet may have been deleted

It's simply the worst day of the year for Phil.

Tweet may have been deleted

And finally, this.

Tweet may have been deleted