The age-herald., 1901-07-28

Birmingham Is in latitude ss degrees 32 seconds north, and longitude e6 de- grees 36 minutes west of Greenwich, cos feet above sea level and in valley, be- tween the mountains which traverse 1t from northeast to southwest. These mountains and the proximity to the gulf and Atlantic influence our temper ature, rainfall and atmospheric condi- tions The mean annual temperature is 0 degrees, and for 1900 was 65 degrees.
 Birmingham is favored above many of It's sister cities. both north and south, with superb climate. The temperature is such that with rare exceptions the extremes of heat and cold do not pre- vail While many of us have complained of the recent hot spell. comparisons place Birmingham in a very favorable posi- ton.
 July Il the thermometer reached 1928 degrees and July 12, 103S degrees, the highest maximum ever recorded at this station. It immediately receded and the following twenty-four hours showed maximum of % degrees with minimum of 70 degrees. It is this fact that makes our summers easier to endure than far ther north. While our days are hot our nights are comparatively cool and al- l most invariably accompanied by pleas l ant breeze. It Is seldom that we are fa- | vored with a continuous, unbroken spell of either hot or cold weather. In our l recent experience 9S degrees was the l highest point reached by the thermome- | ter outside of the two record breaking 1 dave nd hat do | grees as the maximum. Those who have | watched the weather reports from other | sections of the country can appreciate | the difference Tn favor of Birmingham. fact noted by many is that while large number of fatalities were report ed from north and west as the result of the excessive heat, Birmingham re- ported none.
 The northern summer while much shorter than ours. is also much hotter while it lasts, and curious fact is re- ported by Professor Henry. of the Smith, sonfan Institute in the following way. For although there is absolutely more neat Tn the latitude of New Orleans dur ing the year than at Madison. Wis. vet there is more heat recorded at this lat ter place during the three months of midsummer than in the same time at the former place"
 our not waves are as a rule due to n decided atmospheric depression in the middle west. which causes a steady movement into the basin thus formed from the sub-tropical regions over the country. but occasionally a hot wave is induced by nearly normal barometric pressure over the central districts with depression on the south Atlantic coast. which gives surface circulation in this direction over the heated earth surface or our district. This was noted on the hottest day of the present summer.
 The cold waves felt over this section originate In the far northwest, sweep southward over the great plains and thence eastward over this region and are most severely felt, as a rule. in January and February. The climate of Birmingham Is peculiarly well adapted to fruits. flowers and vegetables owing to the long season. Snow seldom falls and only thin coatings of ice are seen The records show that we rarely have killing frosts between March 2S and Co., tober 30.
 The following table will be of interest: