"Dog Days of Summer" Officially End Today

The Dog Days of Summer officially come to an end today. In case you’re wondering, the "dog days" last for 40 days, from July 3 to August 11. They are directly related to the brightest star in the night sky, Sirius, in the constellation Canis Major, or the big dog. Sirius is known as the Dog Star, and we see it clearly illuminating the night sky from early Autumn through early Spring.

However, during this time of the year, Sirius rises and sets with the Sun. During late July, Sirius is in “conjunction” with the Sun, and the ancients believed that its heat added to the heat of the Sun, creating a stretch of very hot, humid, and sultry weather. Actually, the conjunction of Sirius with the Sun varies slightly with latitude, and a gradual drifting of the constellations over time means that they are not in exactly the same place in the sky as they were in ancient Rome.

Although this is typically the warmest time of the year in southwestern Connecticut, the added heat is not due to the added radiation of a far-away star, regardless of how bright it is. The heat of Summertime in the Northern Hemisphere is a direct result of the Earth’s 23.5 degree tilt on its axis. Today's normal high temperature is 82 degrees, just one degree shy of the normal high for late July.

Paul

Severe Thunderstorm Watch Issued for Fairfield & New Haven Counties Through This Evening

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is in effect for Farirfield and New Haven counties until 8 p.m. EDT: forecast.weather.gov/showsigwx.ph...

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— Paul Piorek WICC (@paulpiorekwicc.bsky.social) August 8, 2026 at 3:09 PM

Paul

Severe Thunderstorm Watch Issued for Fairfield County Through This Evening

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is in effect for Fairfield County until 9 p.m. EDT: forecast.weather.gov/showsigwx.ph...

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— Paul Piorek WICC (@paulpiorekwicc.bsky.social) August 7, 2026 at 3:40 PM

Paul

Heat Advisory Issued for Fairfield & New Haven Counties

A Heat Advisory will be in effect for Fairfield and New Haven counties from Thursday at 11 a.m. until Friday at 8 p.m. EDT: forecast.weather.gov/showsigwx.ph...

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— Paul Piorek WICC (@paulpiorekwicc.bsky.social) August 5, 2026 at 3:38 PM

Paul

Weather Affects Mood

How do you feel when the weather turns hot and humid? Tired? Lethargic? Sleepy? What about the heavy rainstorms we've experienced over the past month? Does it affect your mood? The heat, humidity, and seemingly-constant rain may affect you more than you think. If you feel "out of it," you're probably not alone. 

According to the Web site Science Daily, “The positive impact warm, sunny weather can have on mental health and mood are real,” are the findings of a University of Michigan study. “It should not be surprising that weather and seasons affect human behavior, given that humans have evolved with seasonal and weather changes since the dawn of the species.” 

Researchers found that pleasant weather improves mood, memory, broadens our creative ability and our openness to new information. “Being outside in pleasant weather really offers a way to re-set your mindset,” said Matthew Keller, the University of Michigan post-doctoral researcher who led the weather-related psychological study. “We found two important variables: how much time you spend outside and what the season is.” 

Ten mood variables were related to eight weather variables in a multidimensional study on weather according to pubmed.org. Data was collected for 23 male subjects over 11 consecutive days. Mood variables included concentration, depression, sleepiness, optimism, and skepticism. The weather variables included hours of sunshine, precipitation, and temperature. “Humidity, temperature, and hours of sunshine had the greatest effect on mood,” the study found. 

“High levels of humidity lowerered scores on concentration while increasing reports of sleepiness. Humidity was the most significant predictor in regression.” Our humidity was especially high yesterday. Were you feeling tired or having trouble concentrating? 

The study adds that the implications for school and work performance are critical, and it highlights the importance of humidity as a weather variable. I am sure the extremely high humidity and recent rains have played major roles in the way we feel.

Paul

Heavy Rain Christens August & Follows Soggy July

Here are the latest rainfall totals from across southwestern Connecticut as of Monday evening:

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— Paul Piorek WICC (@paulpiorekwicc.bsky.social) August 4, 2026 at 2:12 AM

Paul