Summer Readers: Keep Sizzlin'

It’s not the heat; it’s the humidity. Florida is known as the Sunshine State, if you’ve ever spent a summer in Florida, you know it also could qualify as the “Hot State.” Surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, our state is influenced by warm, tropical moisture, especially in the summer. Florida summer is in full swing, despite the calendar saying it has only been here officially for a few days. Is this making you hot under the collar? If you need to escape the sizzling summer weather, then cool down with this week’s HOT SPOT, Circle K.

This Week's HOT SPOT Activity

Have you noticed summer’s afternoon rainstorms appearing with more regularity? Meteorologists use many tools to forecast and keep close watch on thunderstorms. Your local National Weather Service office has meteorologists and technicians working around the clock to keep an eye on the weather. The weather page on the back of the Sports section in the St. Petersburg Times is a great place to keep an eye on future storms. Go to tampabay.com for immediate updates.

Have you ever wondered how different weather conditions affect your moods? Find out by creating a data chart. You can use the Times weather page to collect data for this activity each day. At the end of the week, use your data to create a line or bar graph. You also can keep a chart of your results. Keep a mood chart, too. Does the weather affect your mood? Share your thoughts with other students across Tampa Bay here at our Summer Times Reader Blog. Just click on the comment button below and start blogging!

If you want to participate in the Summer Reader program, go to tampabay.com/nie/summer for details on how to get started!