Are you tired of the heat and humidity yet? This is the hottest July on record with a daily average temperature of 79.0 degrees at Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford. That's 4.7 degrees above normal and 0.6 degrees warmer than the record of 78.4 degrees set in 1994. Although today is starting on a warm and sticky note, the humidity level will drop through the day, and a fairly nice week is ahead.
Not surprisingly, we are in the heart of the "dog days" of Summer, a 40-day period which began in early July and ends exactly two weeks from yesterday. There have been two heat waves this month, including the record-setting seven-day heat wave from July 14 through July 20. There have been 11 days this month with a high temperature of 90 degrees or more. In fact, all but five days this month have been warmer than normal.
In case you're wondering, the "dog days" of Summer run from July 3 through August 11 in the Northern Hemisphere and have to do with the star Sirius, known as "the dog star." Sirius is the brightest star in the Northern Hemisphere other than the Sun, and it is found in the constellation Canis Major, thus the name "dog star."
In the Summer, Sirius rises and sets with the Sun. During late July, Sirius is in "conjunction" with the Sun. The ancients believed that its heat added to the heat of the Sun, creating a stretch of hot and sultry weather. They named this period of time, from 20 days before the conjunction to 20 days after, the "dog days" after the dog star.
The conjunction of Sirius with the Sun varies somewhat with latitude. Although we are in the middle of the dog days of Summer right now, the heat is not due to the added radiation from a far-away star, regardless of its brightness. The heat of Summer is a direct result of the earth's 23.5 degree tilt on its axis, meaning the Northern Hemisphere is tilted toward the Sun during the Summer.
Skies will become mostly sunny later this afternoon with a high temperature in the lower 80s. Tonight will be mostly clear and comfortable with lows in the 50s inland and lower 60s along the coast. Tomorrow and Wednesday promise to be beautiful days under mostly sunny skies, high temperatures close to 80 degrees and dew points in the 50 to mid 60s later Wednesday. The "dog days" of Summer are coming to a close.
Paul
Not surprisingly, we are in the heart of the "dog days" of Summer, a 40-day period which began in early July and ends exactly two weeks from yesterday. There have been two heat waves this month, including the record-setting seven-day heat wave from July 14 through July 20. There have been 11 days this month with a high temperature of 90 degrees or more. In fact, all but five days this month have been warmer than normal.In case you're wondering, the "dog days" of Summer run from July 3 through August 11 in the Northern Hemisphere and have to do with the star Sirius, known as "the dog star." Sirius is the brightest star in the Northern Hemisphere other than the Sun, and it is found in the constellation Canis Major, thus the name "dog star."
In the Summer, Sirius rises and sets with the Sun. During late July, Sirius is in "conjunction" with the Sun. The ancients believed that its heat added to the heat of the Sun, creating a stretch of hot and sultry weather. They named this period of time, from 20 days before the conjunction to 20 days after, the "dog days" after the dog star.The conjunction of Sirius with the Sun varies somewhat with latitude. Although we are in the middle of the dog days of Summer right now, the heat is not due to the added radiation from a far-away star, regardless of its brightness. The heat of Summer is a direct result of the earth's 23.5 degree tilt on its axis, meaning the Northern Hemisphere is tilted toward the Sun during the Summer.
Skies will become mostly sunny later this afternoon with a high temperature in the lower 80s. Tonight will be mostly clear and comfortable with lows in the 50s inland and lower 60s along the coast. Tomorrow and Wednesday promise to be beautiful days under mostly sunny skies, high temperatures close to 80 degrees and dew points in the 50 to mid 60s later Wednesday. The "dog days" of Summer are coming to a close.
Paul
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