Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-08-26
MONTH MAY PROVE
CAPITAL $ WETTEST
August of 1906 Similar to
Present Period With
Floods and Heat.

This month is almost certain 10 GO
down In history as the wettest ever re-
corded here. When the Weather Eli
reau Observatory closed last night at
10 o'clock the total rainfall for the
month had reached ga inches, only
two one -hun6redthS Of an inch short
of the record for ali Of August 1906.
which boosted the heaviest rainfall ever
recorded.
As 3 result of last nights rain this
month took second place il the wet
month standings. surprising the 1898
inch record OF August 1878. which held
second place up TO O'Clock last night.
According to the records AT the
Weather Bureau Kiosk. Fourteenth
street and PENNSYLVANIA avenue. last
nights ram totaled Cal inches. which
would have brought the total well
above the i436-inch record set IN All
gust, 1906 At the Weather Bureau,
however. the records showed but LEA
inches. which brought the months Of
fetal total 10 1884 inches.
Recalls Cioudhurst.
The files Of The Evening Star f3l
August. 1906 show that the month was
similar in many respects % this month.
Searching hot weather altcrnated with
heavy rains throughout the month. On
August 5 ot that year 4 cl0udburSt lett
Bia6ensburC under several feet Of water,
A horse and buggy were washed OF gne
bridge an6 man and his wife almost
drowned. Suburban roads were washed
out il many places TWO DAYS later
there was heavy cloudburst near VIM
chester
Torrid weather followed the local
clouihurSt and August ;, 1905, the tenn
perature was 100 degrees. one man
dying. and August 6 a $50 pm the
temperature reached 1903 degrees in The
shade anC ia in the sun, August Z
the weather continued hot and The
Star republished its account of the
great blizzard Of February l3 1899 to
alleviate the feelings OF the swelterig.E
public.
Plague of Ficas.
Rain began falling August and on /
the following day. with heavy rains /
the temperature fell 20 degrees. Au- I
gust IL brought a cloudburst at Will /
Transport Nd. and continued heavy !
rains here. August I3 Norfolk strug- |
gled with food water after 8 record !
rainfall Of between 4 and inches IL /
- hours.
The Star August IL described a
plague Of aeas this city suffered as a /
result OF the hot, wet weather On Au- /
gast Is the rain stopped and there was /
one death from heat The following ,
DAY there were local showers, which !
continued on the following day. VIXEN .
there waS a break in the heat wave. ,
There were intermittent showers for the I
next few DAYS. and on August % there /
was a rainfall of 267 inches in six /
hours, and the temperature fell q de- !
g-ees Country roads we're impossible, /
and in thu city there were many wash
outs and fallen trees. Bridges we're .
washed out all around the District.
On August 81 It was recorded in The !
Star that the total rainfall for the I
month had been 1870 inches. the total
reached here last night. The month .
closed with heavy downDour on Au-
gust % and rains the following days /
On August 81 The Star told Of floods
IN Virginia, especially at PETERSBURG.
which tas badly damaged. Bridges /
again were washed out and railroad !
service delayed.
Flood Menace Grows.
The files Of The Star for August, !
1875. tells Of foods and heavy rains /
here and throughout the country. On /
August Of that year the Potomac River /
was reported TO have risen feet ana !
inches at Harpers Ferry IN "a hours ]
and the following day il had risen
feet more and vas BIZ feet above the /
fov-water mark NO danger need be
anticipated in Washington from this
rise It was stated ;
During the following days floods !
caused considerable concern here and
throughout the country. On August
II the files show the following:
The present Summer seems 10 Keep
up its strange and unnatural RECORD
b the last. Yesterday We had sue
cession Of serious storms IN the CITY.
the rain which fell during one OF them
amounting to a perfect torrent Even
the street cars were nearly washed OH
the tracks"
This was followed on August IS by
the following. under the head. st.
switf7ir a wstery Hunlbug:" In con-
nection with the moisture Of the past
90 6ays 1t is interesting 10 note the
fact that the ST. Swithin proverb mas
been now scientifically investigated and
completely exploded.