Weather rule - The hottest time of the year: what's behind the dog days
The Dog Days refer to the generally hottest days of the year and usually fall between July 23rd and August 23rd. Their name has nothing to do with hairy four-legged animals, but rather comes from the constellation "Greater Dog."
The origin dates back to ancient Egypt. For the Egyptians, the Dog Days signified the return of the star Sirius, the brightest star in the constellation Greater Dog. For the Egyptians, the return of the Dog Star meant that the water level of the Nile had risen. This period coincided with the hottest time of the year.
However, the Egyptians were not the only ones who contributed to the modern understanding of the Dog Days. The Greeks adopted this myth and made some modifications. According to the German Weather Service (DWD), this is where the assignment to the calendar comes from. Since the period from mid-July to mid-August was and is the hottest time of the year in Greece, the additional appearance of the constellation Greater Dog at the so-called heliacal rising of Sirius, i.e. at sunrise, was called the "rising with the sun," which marked the beginning of the Dog Days. The ancient Greeks believed that the sunlight merged with the fire of Sirius and was therefore the cause of the heat. The Romans recorded the appearance of the "Greater Dog" in their calendar as well, and the ancient Arabs also attributed the hot days to this constellation.
Even today, people associate the Dog Days with heat. However, one now knows that the high temperatures and the simultaneous appearance of Sirius are a coincidence, and that the constellation is not responsible for the hottest time of the year.
Hot Dog Days make sun worshippers happy, but they can also be accompanied by drought and aridity. Some farmers even fear a long and harsh winter in the following period. A farmer's rule for this is: "If the Dog Days are hot, it will be white in winter."
Sources: Focus Online, Wetteronline, German Weather Service (DWD)
Focus Online reportedly shares information about the potential impact of the Dog Days on the following winter, suggesting that a harsh winter might follow if the Dog Days are unusually hot. The term "Farmer's rule" is mentioned in relation to this belief, originating from traditional farming communities in Germany.
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