It has been brutally hot in many places in this country the past several days, including north Georgia, and the 40 days of Dog Days of Summer are traditionally among the hottest. And Wednesday was the mid-point of this year’s canine days.
So, what did we have in Gainesville? Why, one of the coolest days of late? Of course. 86 the official high, recorded at the airport. And it was a “cool” 79 at mid-afternoon.
Now, back to the Dog Days story, this part courtesy the National Weather Service (NWS):
“Did you know: Today (July 23rd) is considered the peak of the “dog days of summer.”
Rather than the image of dogs panting in the heat, the dog days are named based on astronomy, specifically the star Sirius. Sirius peaks in magnitude and visibility in the dawn hours on July 23rd, and the dog days are said to occur from 20 days before to 20 days after this event.
In ancient times, many cultures believed exceptionally hot weather was directly related to the appearance of Sirius – the “dog star.””
And now you know.