Bart_Adrian's Blog

The phrase "Dog Days" loosely refers to the hottest days of summer. According to The Old Farmer’s Almanac, the traditional Dog Days are the 40 days beginning July 3 and ending August 11. This time period coincides with the rising of Sirius (the Dog Star) at sunrise each morning. The rising of Sirius does not actually have anything to do with the weather. (As you know, we can have some very hot and humid days before July 3rd and after August 11.) The ancient Egyptians believed that Sirius appeared just before the flodd season of the Nile River, so they considered the star to be a "watchdog" for that event. Since the rising of Sirius also coincided with a time of extreme heat, the connection with hot, sultry weather was made for all time.