Six drowning deaths in California this summer show why oceans and rivers get more dangerous in warm months

Six people have drowned in California this summer — two college students in Santa Cruz, two brothers in the Trinity River, and a bodysurfer and a five-year-old at Laguna Beach. CDC data shows U.S. drownings rise every year from April through September. The National Park Service warns that cold water below 70°F can shock your body, making you gasp and struggle to breathe — even in summer.