We’d like to hear from you. What did the heat in your area feel like this weekend, and what did you do to get through it? Let us know, and we’ll feature some of your answers in a future Brief.

What We’re Tracking

This Caught My Eye

Rapid intensification of tropical storms and hurricanes often gets the most attention from meteorologists, for good reason. When that happens near land, it can be a nightmare for emergency managers and the public to react to and prepare for ahead of the storm.

Fortunately, we have a story of a weakening former hurricane today. Calvin topped out at Category 3 strength Friday, but weakened to a tropical storm Sunday, and is forecast to be either a tropical storm or tropical depression by the time it reaches Hawaii late tomorrow night or early Wednesday, local time.

You can see the weakening in the satellite loop above. First the eye became less distinct, then the spiral bands of rain became less organized and smaller.

Cooler water, and drier, more stable air weakened Calvin. It’s a scenario that often happens with hurricanes that approach Hawaii from the east. Hawaii’s rare hurricane strikes usually happen from storms that first form closer to the islands, then curl north.

So, Calvin was an example of a hurricane to love, if you’re a weather geek. It became strong in the middle of the ocean, was beautiful to look at in satellite imagery, but has weakened considerably as it is drawing closer to land. If only the rest of the hurricanes this season would do that or simply curl harmlessly out to sea.

Trending

•  In Hartford, Connecticut, singer Jason Aldean ended a concert mid-song due to the heat.
•  Extreme heat isn’t just dangerous for people, it can also be harmful to your car as well.
•  A horde of golden retrievers descended on Scotland!

Weather Words

According to multiple sources, the proverb stems from the following unlikely (and almost certainly imaginary) chain of events. Ready? Here goes:

First, the wind blows, whirling up dust. This dust gets into peoples’ eyes, blinding a few of them. Many blind people in Japan made a living as musicians, and one instrument they used was a shamisen, which featured a cat skin soundbox. If there was a sudden demand for more shamisen, the proverb supposes, there would suddenly be fewer cats around. This would lead to an increase in rats and mice, creating demand for barrels to store food in, and, thus, a healthy profit for barrel-makers.

MMMDAY

How To Improve Your Hot Dogs

#OTD

The celestial event was recorded in the ancient Lu capital of Qufu, China, in what is now Shandong province. In the chronicles called the Chunqui, or the Annals of Spring and Autumn, an astronomer wrote: “The sun was eclipsed; it was total.”