Ten Fun Facts About Summer
We have Summer fun facts!
Summer is a fantastic season when many interesting things happen that you don’t see during other times of the year. Follow along as we discuss ten fun facts about Summer.
1. The Whole Month Of July Is National Ice Cream Month
Who doesn’t love ice cream in the summer? Whether it’s a cone at the beach or a massive tub in your freezer at home, a summer diet usually includes it. Why, because the entire month of July is National Ice Cream Month!
US President Ronald Reagan made it official in 1984. He designated July as National Ice Cream Month. He also assigned the third Sunday of the month, National Ice Cream Day.
2. Everyone’s Favorite Summer Snack Is Secretly A Vegetable
Along with ice cream, watermelon is another favorite warm-weather snack. People can’t get enough of the refreshing taste on a hot summer day. It may come as a surprise to learn that watermelon is classified as a vegetable, not a fruit. This is due to its unique plating and growth, making it a close relative of the squash family.
However, some people still argue against this, which adds to the confusion. Either way, this is a fun fact to tell someone when they’re snacking on a juicy watermelon this summer.
3. Buildings Like The Eiffel Tower Grow In The Summer
Some large buildings and sculptures are known to expand slightly during the summer months. The Eiffel Tower in France is the most well-known of these buildings. A neat science trick called thermal expansion causes the growth.
The tower is made of iron, which expands when hot. During the Summer, the iron gets extremely hot, making the Eiffel Tower stand up to 15cm taller.
Does this mean the tower will continue to grow larger every year? Nope! As the weather cools down, the iron shrinks in size and the Eiffel Tower returns to its normal height.
4. The Hottest Temperature Ever Recorded Was 134°F
What’s the hottest temperature you’ve ever experienced? Most of us will head inside to enjoy the cool AC when temperatures get over 100°F. Well, one of the craziest fun facts about summer is that it once reached a scorching 134°F on July 10, 1913. That world record has stood for well over 100 years. It was recorded in Furnace Creek, Death Valley, California.
Death Valley is consistently one of the hottest places in the Northern Hemisphere during the summer months. Average temperatures hit around 113°F every year.
5. You Can See The Sun At Midnight In The Arctic Circle
You’re used to seeing the sun during the day and the moon at night. Most of you will never wake up in the middle of the night to see the sun shining above, but that’s a common occurrence for people living in the Arctic Circle.
Places in Norway are known to experience 24 hours of daylight during the summer. Many people stay up to witness this phenomenon at midnight, which is known as the Midnight Sun. This actually begins in late April, before summer starts, and continues through to August. That’s four whole months without seeing any darkness.
Why does this happen? Because the Earth is tilted on its axis, parts of the Northern Hemisphere are always facing the sun during the summer. The Arctic Circle then experiences months of pure darkness in the winter!
6. Manhattan Henge Is New York’s Answer To Stonehenge
Stonehenge is a unique set of stones in the UK that confuses everybody because no one knows how they got there. They’re arranged strangely and appear to have been sculpted or placed in a specific pattern.
These massive stones play a significant role during the longest day of the year, known as the summer solstice. This is when you experience the longest day and the shortest night. When this happens, the sun rises perfectly above one of the stones in Stonehenge, almost as though this was planned.
By pure coincidence, the sun also rises perfectly between buildings in NYC, known as Manhattan Henge, on the longest day of the year.
7. The Longest Day Of The Year Is The Same As The Shortest
Wait a second, that doesn’t make sense. How can the longest day of the year also be the shortest? Ah, well, it’s all to do with the two hemispheres! When it’s summer in the Northern Hemisphere, the Southern Hemisphere experiences winter.
Again, this is all thanks to the way our planet is tilted on its axis.
It creates an interesting instance where our summer solstice coincides with Australia’s winter solstice. So, while we’re out enjoying the extra hours of sunlight, they’re stuck inside with the least amount of daylight they’ll see in the year.
8. The Summer Olympics Were First Held In 776 BC
Summer months are known for many things: hot weather, no school, and significant sporting events. The soccer World Cup comes to America in 2026, followed by the LA Olympics in 2028. People love watching or attending these blockbuster sporting events in the summer, but here’s a really interesting fact about the summer Olympics.
Not many people know this, but some historians believe that the first Summer Olympics took place in 776 BC. Those with good math skills can work out that that’s over 2,800 years ago. They were held to honor the Greek God Zeus, but the games ended in 393 BC.
So why do we see the Summer Olympics every four years nowadays? A modern version was introduced in 1896 and has been ongoing ever since.
9. The Hottest Days Of The Year Are Known As “The Dog Days Of Summer”
July and August are home to the hottest days of the year, every year. Interestingly, there’s a name for these swelteringly hot months: The Dog Days of Summer. You might think that’s an odd name – and, to be honest, you’re right. What do dogs have to do with hot weather?!
This is where things get interesting. The phrase comes from ancient Greece and Rome, where people believed that a star in the sky (called Sirius) was responsible for the higher temperatures that they’d experience in the summer months. They’d always see this star rise alongside the sun, and they nicknamed it Dog Star because it was part of the Greater Dog constellation.
Dog Star was used for many years before people turned it into “The Dog Days of Summer”, and the phrase has stuck ever since.
10. Thunderstorms Are More Common In Summer
We’ve spent a good part of this list talking about how hot and sunny it is in the summer, so it might surprise you to learn that more thunderstorms happen in this season than any other. You usually associate thunderstorms with rainy and cold conditions, but they need warm weather to form.
The science behind it is simple: the warm air creates more humidity, which helps to form special clouds that produce thunder and lightning. So, while you’ll enjoy lots of sunny days, be prepared for at least a couple of thunderstorms during the summer months.
Summer Fun Facts
Which of these summer fun facts do you like the most? They’re all interesting in their own ways, but some are a bit more shocking or unexpected than others. Share them with friends or family members to impress them with your summer knowledge. For more fun facts about Summer, check out our free lesson plans and Learn Bright YouTube channel.