The First Day of Summer

Welcome to summer, which officially begins today, June 21st, thanks to the summer solstice. This is the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.

Summer is all about fun, relaxing, vacation and having a good time.  For those who don't have summer jobs it may take some imagination to fill up all those free hours every day. Here is a look at the summer of two non-working sisters.

Father's Day

Father's Day is a special day to honor fathers and grandfathers. It is on the third Sunday of June. Fathers receive cards and gifts on Father's Day. It is important to thank your father and grandfather for all the things they do.
Father's Day was started in 1910 by Mrs. John Dodd of Spokane, Washington. The custom spread throughout the United States and in 1936 a national Father's Day committee was formed. Headquartered in New York City, the committee annually selects a Father of the Year. Some of the fathers who have won this title are Douglas MacArthur, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and Harry S. Truman.

When is Father's Day? It is on the third Sunday of June. We celebrate it by giving cards and gifts to our fathers and grandfathers. We say "Happy Father's Day!"

Some Father's Day reflections from ABC

Flag Day

Flag Day is on June 14, a day when all Americans celebrate the flag by showing respect for the flag and its makers and its designers. One of the main symbols of the United States of America is the flag.

The original U.S. flag was authorized by Congress on Saturday, June 14, 1777. It had 13 stripes - 7 red and 6 white - that represent the original 13 colonies. There were 13 white stars in a blue field representing a new constellation.

Since 1777, there have been different versions of the flag that have been adopted. The red and white stripes with blue constellation have remained the same. Each state in the union is represented by a 5 point star. The number of stars have changed as states joined the union. There are currently 50 states that belong to the United States of America.

History Of Flag Day From Veronica

Hurricane Season

The official Atlantic, Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico hurricane season starts on June 1, ends on November 30, and averages seven named storms.  The 2005 Atlantic season was a  record breaker. Twenty-eight storms reached speeds of thirty-nine miles per hour, the threshold for being named by the National Hurricane Center. Among them, Hurricane Katrina was the deadliest and costliest hurricane in U.S. history, and Wilma the most intense Atlantic hurricane ever recorded.

The Atlantic basin is expected to see an above-normal hurricane season this year, according to the seasonal outlook issued by NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center – a division of the National Weather Service.

Across the entire Atlantic Basin for the six-month season, which begins June 1, NOAA is predicting the following ranges this year:

12 to 18 named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher), of which:

6 to 10 could become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), including:

3 to 6 major hurricanes (Category 3, 4 or 5; winds of 111 mph or higher)
Each of these ranges has a 70 percent likelihood, and indicate that activity will exceed the seasonal average of 11 named storms, six hurricanes and two major hurricanes.

To see what type of damage different levels of hurricanes can cause, go to the AP Interactive feature.

Check in at the National Hurricane Center at any time to see what storms are in the area.

Weather WizKids has a very complete hurricane page which will help you learn what a hurricane is, how it forms, and much more, including hurricane vocabulary such as

TROPICAL STORM WATCH - Tropical Storm conditions with sustained winds from 39 -74 mph are possible in your area within the next 36 hours.
TROPICAL STORM WARNING - Tropical Storm conditions are expected in your area within the next 24 hours.
HURRICANE WATCH - Hurricane conditions with sustained winds of 74 mph or greater are possible in your area within the next 36 hours. This WATCH should trigger your family's disaster plan, and protective measures should be initiated. Especially, those actions that require extra time such as securing a boat and leaving a barrier island.
HURRICANE WARNING - Hurricane conditions are expected in your area within 24 hours. Once this WARNING has been issued, your family should be in the process of completing protective actions and deciding the safest location to be during the storm.

and more.

Hurricane Names
Hurricanes, tropical storms, and tropical cyclones in other parts of the world are identified by names. The north Atlantic and eastern north Pacific oceans use a six year rotating list of hurricane names. If a hurricane is severe, that hurricane name is retired and a new one is chosen to replace it. If any hurricane name is retired from the 2011 east Pacific or Atlantic hurricane season the list of hurricane names for 2017 will be adjusted by the National Hurricane Center.

Take a look at the names for hurricanes from 2011-2016.