The story was originally published on Grist.
For a long time, summer has been the same. The word sumor was first used by Old English speakers around 900. The word summer is said to be close to the version heard 4,000 years ago, when people spoke a language believed to be the progenitor of many languages.
Summer isn't what it used to be The season is getting so hot that it may be time for a new name.
There were a lot of disasters in the United States during the period from May to October. People across the country still splash in pools and head to the beach during these months, but they also suffer through heat waves, escape from fires, and board up homes as hurricanes approach.
There are forecasts showing hurricanes and above-normal wildfire activity this summer. A heat wave over the weekend broke records in more than a dozen cities. In Denver, the temperature hit 100 degrees and in Phoenix it was 114 degrees.
Climate change has made these types of events more dangerous, according to a climate scientist. The phrase 'danger season' seemed appropriate as we were thinking about this season.
The heat in the US kills more people on average each year than any other type of extreme weather. Older adults die in their homes without air-conditioning and young athletes die from heatstroke when practicing in hot weather. The deaths are preventable. If you understand summer threats, you can begin to do something about them.
Dahl doesn't want to replace the word summer or take away the days at the beach. She felt like we were taking away the joy of summer. It is possible that a cultural affection for hot weather may make people overlook the season's dangers. In California, summer means fires and smoke, and comes with a sense of dread. When I was younger, I would approach the start of summer with the idea of having barbecues.
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