Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-09-15
THE HOTTEST EVER
Summer of 1900 in Washington Has
Broken All Records.
EXTREME and LONG CONTINUED HEAT
List of the Days When the Mer-
curry Went Above Ninety.
SOME A MAZING FIGURES

Looking backward over the summer of
1900, which has about determined to close
its caloric career, Washingtonians will find
much in the official thermometric figures
recorded at the United States weather bu-
reau to astound them. 1t is an interesting
fact to note at this time, when the danger
zone of torridity has been passed. that the
final summer of the nineteenth century has
been the hottest known in the capital city
since the establishment of the government
weather service. While the mercury did
not climb to the record for an individual
day during the past months of malevolent
heat, for a consistent and continuous effort
this has been banner year.
During the period beginning July / and
extending to the 18th of the present month,
September, there were 40 days with a
maximum Of 80 degrees Fahrenheit or
more, leaving of the "a days but % when
the thermometer did not attain to the mark
where begins a special record at the
weather bureau. On many of these "off
days. the thermometer recorded SO and 50
degrees, so it is safe to say that nearly 90
of the "a days were in the 90-degree class.
However, 1T is not necessary to branch
into conjecture to make the story Of this
record-smashing summer extraordinary.
The readings of thermometers on the street
level which recorded 10 degrees and more
give additional testimony to the recent
reckless, rampant play of the mercury, but
their figures are not accepted as official,
and hence have no place In the statistics
OF the country. The weather bureaus rec
ords tell the intensely interesting story,
for interesting it is to contemplate after
survival, although at the time of the
enactment the record-bound strides of the
heat seemed absolutely unbearable.
The nearest approach to the continuous
performance record of the season just
closed was in 1872, when, during the same
period of "a days there were ~ with 30 de-
grees and more as their maximum. The
July of 1900 was not so remarkable either
as to top score or uninterrupted rum
insomuch as the maximum, reached on the
18th, was only 80 degrees. against the rec
ord of 103 degrees recorded the same day
Of the month in the year 1887, and the
number of 9o,degree days was only Il as
against q such days in both 1872 and 1878,
20 days in 1873 and IS in 1876.
August Was a Wonder.
1t remained for August to eclipse all
former heat periods and to pull up the sea-
son average, when combined with July and
September. sufficient to distance all pre-
vious terms of high thermometer readings.
During that mad August there were eigh-
teen days of 90-degree weather and four
teen of the total number came consecu-
lively. From the 9th to the 18th of the
month, inclusive, the seven days elapsed
made up the hottest period ever known to
Washington During these seven days the
lowest maximum recorded by the weather
bureau was so. That figure was the limit
for three of the seven days, the remaining
four registering 81, So, 30 and 1O1 degrees,
the latter being the highest point reached
during the past summer and equaling the
August record of the bureau, the same
maximum having occurred August IL. 1881.
In that year. however. there were but four
teen days above 80 degrees.
highest Of
@-degree days in this city In August was a
record held by 1872 that year standing
second only to the present one. In 1872
there were sixteen days when the Their
mometer reached more than 80.
september's Heat.
The current month of September has
proved itself somewhat of a record smasher
itself. and it is due to these efforts of the
first autumnal days that 1900 was enabled
to carry off the hot weather prize. Out
of the first twelve days of September there
were ten with 80 degrees and more This
Is the record for the period mentioned, its
nearest competitor among the Septembers
having rolled UP in 1881 total of but six
0-degree days out of the first twelve of the
month.
In this connection it might be stated
that the distinction of having recorded
Washington's extreme high temperature
belongs to q September day. 1t occurred
tue IN VI tne year Of, Wnen the OutrageOu
figures ''104' were marked in red ink in
the great cloth-bound record books of the
weather bureau. Concerning the antics of
the mercury in street-level thermometers
that day of heat intensity never before or
since officially known, the oldest inhabi-
tants" may have something to say. 1t Is
not for this story to relate.
The thousands and thousands of Wash
ington people who have escaped the heated
term at their country homes and various
cool resorts must count themselves indeed
fortunate, while the hapless workers COM
PEELED to remain and keep burning the fires
of municipal and national machinery and
the ever-present poor, suffering alike In
summer and in winter, must also feel
themselves blessed to have withstood an
ordeal such as they may never know again
in this life. The ng-continued heat the
excess of humidity and the relentless beat
of the summer sun were attended by
number of losses of life The poor laborer
was not the only one to succumb to the
intense heat; an eminent scientist of the
government was one of a number of those
in the commonly termed leisure classes
called as a victim.
The Early Summer.
An exceptionally late spring and an ex-
cool June aroused in Wash
ingtonians the belief and hope that the
summer of 1900 would prove a record |
breaker for GOODNESS rather than be a sue
cessful cadidate for the honors that go with |
warm day of the season occurred June II, |
when the maximum was Oh degrees I'm |
following this initial climb into |
the nineties the thermometer receded well |
down into it's bulb, and during a rainy |
week about the 18th of the month was |
deep in retirement that many persons We're |
seen downtown in light overcoats. 1t was |
not until the 26th day of June that warm
weather again experienced. Then OF |
degrees was once more recorded. The same
prevailed the day following
and the 29th produced a maximum of g. |
which was also the maximum for the |
month 1t will thus be seen there We're |
but four 9O-degree days during June. The |
record is far above this as to continuity, |
while a June maximum of 102 degrees
made the 9th day of that month in the year
1874 exceptional
July started in with a rush of hot wealth
er, the Sd day of the month finding the
mercury at the 92-degree mark. During the
Ave days Immediately following the heated
term continued, the ma ximums being 96,
Dc, 81, 90 and % degrees. Two days
slapsed with ordinary weather, when on
July II the temperature was OF degrees and
On the day following 90 degrees. There was
another two days respite. and then, COM
July 10, a week of extreme heat
ensued, the thermometer ranging the seven
Jays from the 10Th to 21st inclusive, "a, 9S,
IS, 90, 90, 81 and 81 degrees. The 2Sth the