The arrival of summer is always thought to bring the beginning of a slow news period. But year after year news has a habit of breaking out. There are of course the seasonal events like hurricanes that depend on the warm weather. And then there are perennial possibilities that just happen to thrive in heat and humidity. Here’s a look at what might (or might not) happen this summer

* Governor Pataki has just six months left as the nation’s longest-serving governor. What will he do to make a splash in advance of his long-shot presidential bid? Look for Mr. Pataki to spend a lot of time raising cash in the Hamptons and a little bit of time making his last dash around the state at various ribbon cuttings and ground-breakings his administration has already put in motion.

* The biggest projects in the works are here in the city. Among them are Moynihan Station and an expansion of the out-dated Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. A state board is expected to sign off on both badly needed plans over the summer, giving Mr. Pataki some high profile projects to brag about.

* Also look for Madison Square Garden to announce plans for a move across the street into the rear of the Farley Post Office, which will house Moynihan Station. The train station will occupy only the front of the building along 8th Avenue where the grand staircase and gothic pillars form a New York City icon beneath an inscription of the Postal Service’s motto about working through rain, snow, sleet and hail. The back of the building along 9th Avenue has spacious loading docks and sorting facilities that can easily become the new home of the “World’s Most Famous Arena.”

* While the Far West Side takes shape, the prospects for Lower Manhattan are grim. There’s no reason to think the original designer of the World Trade Center memorial, Michael Arad, will still be involved in the project by the end of the summer. And late August seems like a likely time for an official announcement that the much-hyped Freedom Tower will be shorter than the symbolic 1776 feet that planners had promised.

* Senator Schumer will probably use the leadership void downtown to make a play for influence around the time Senator Clinton is visiting Syracuse Fair during her re-election campaign. This week’s poll that shows New Yorkers think Mr. Schumer cares more about their state will surely stoke the competition between New York’s senior senator and his more famous junior.

* While Mr. Schumer set a record for his margin of reelection victory, Mrs. Clinton is well on her way to setting a fundraising record. She’s already raised $40 million, including $6 million in each of the last two reporting periods. When the next round of numbers is announced next month she’ll surely top $10 million over the previous three months. That means Advantage Clinton in that rivalry with Mr. Schumer.

* After spending a busy year on the campaign trail, Mr. Bloomberg defied expectations by working long hours and plenty of weekends even after his victory. But this summer will probably usher in shorter days and longer weekends. That’s what second terms are for.

* Plenty of drivers may also want to consider taking some time off. Traffic in Manhattan is worse than ever and will only become more difficult to maneuver as dozens of construction projects create a bigger population of residents and workers. By the end of July, complaining about traffic could emerge as a big topic of conversation.

* Those complaints about traffic will easily flow from conversations about gas prices. Oil prices will soar the moment a hurricane even thinks about hitting the Gulf Coast and drivers will pay. They’ll be especially annoyed about paying to sit in traffic.

* Thomas Suozzi will have plenty of spare time to ponder his political future while stuck on the LIE. Mr. Suozzi’s heavily hyped challenge to Eliot Spitzer is winning attention for only its lack of luster. Mr. Suozzi should use the long summer days to hope for a short news cycle on coverage of his inevitable decision to drop out of the Democratic primary for governor.

* Mr. Suozzi may be joined on the beach by the state Republican chairman, Stephen Minarik. After failing to install William Weld as his party’s nominee, Mr. Minarik’s days are numbered if the actual nominee, John Faso, wants his own guy running the party.

* If Mr. Faso wins control of the party he’ll at least win something this year, because he’s not going to win for governor. This topic is a little off the mark because the election isn’t until the cooler days of November.

About the only summer certainty is that state lawmakers will go home this week and that City Council members will agree on a budget before the July 4th weekend. The rest is uncertain. That’s what will make it news.