City prepares for a hot summer
When I saw the headline Montréal prêt pour un été chaud I expected it to be metaphorical, but in fact it’s about the health and social services agency making plans in case of lengthy heat waves.
The Gazette, on the other hand, says this summer will be stormy and not super hot, trotting out the journalistic chestnut that summer doesn’t “officially” begin till next month (the equinoxes aren’t, and never have been, “official” starts to the seasons).
jeather 10:48 on 2012/05/16 Permalink
the equinoxes aren’t, and never have been, “official” starts to the seasons
Perhaps because there are only two of them, but four seasons?
(Actually, I had no idea that Mar/Jun/Sept/Dec 21ish were not the official starts. I think they are essentially there now, from common use if from nothing else.)
Kevin 11:09 on 2012/05/16 Permalink
No official start to any season. My continual pet peeve whenever it’s repeated.
Kate 11:18 on 2012/05/16 Permalink
jeather, OK OK, neither equinoxes NOR solstices are official starts to anything. (I would’ve called them quarter days but figured that’s a bit pagan.) Cecil Adams says “meteorologists define summer simply as June, July, and August” which makes as much sense.
jeather 11:54 on 2012/05/16 Permalink
Oh, June/July/Aug makes much more sense for summer here than June 21-Sept 21. I always thought the dates were a bit odd, but never bothered to wonder about them.
William 14:36 on 2012/05/16 Permalink
For me the Summer begins when they close Ste-Catherine Street for Aires Libres! :D