Autumn is here and we are experiencing some very comfortable temperatures. We have heard zero complaints.
But we (must) (should) (sorta) keep in mind that we can have some scorching heat in September. The subject of this story is the historic heat of September, 1925, only to come back again in September, 1927 for a repeat performance.
Mind you, we are not hinting at heat like that this September. I am so sure of it that I will volunteer to be fired if it does and I have never been fired or laid off before (sincerely thankful and lucky–not bragging) and I want to work longer than Andy Rooney on CBS 60-Minutes)
Enough of that. Here are some facts about those two heat waves before the days of air conditioning:
* At Centreville, Bibb County, the high was a blistering 112 on September 5, 1925, the hottest ever in Alabama and that includes going back to the days before the US Weather Bureau when there was an early day Alabama Weather Service.
* At Birmingham and Montgomery on that same day it was 106 and in Huntsville 107.
* At Birmingham, no rain on 24 days that month and 12 days saw the temperature exceed 102 for 7 days in a row early in the month. The heat had a little mercy on us between the 10th and 16th with most highs 90-98. Then, the heat came back with a great anger with highs 100 or more for five more days. I suppose everyone but me was wearing sweaters when it only struggled to reach 80 on the 12th when we got our biggest rain (.36)
* So, for 12 days it was 100 or hotter in Birmingham and Huntsville and 10 days in Montgomery. Birmingham had five days at 105 or higher.
* The average daily high for the entire month in September, 1925 was 96 in Birmingham and 98 in Huntsville–absolutely unheard of.
* Now, two years later, in September, 1927, Birmingham had five days over 100 and nine days hotter than 95. We only got 0.03 rain all month–not even enough to dampen the top of James Spann’s (partially) (18% bald) head.
All of this heat was before the days of home air conditioning. Growing up in Hale County, I heard old-timers say that some folks even resorted to planting a few sprigs of Kudzu on the west and south sides of their homes to block out some of the sun. It quickly covered the entire house. I remember seeing one farm home where they had to cut an opening over the front porch steps to get to their front door.
Enjoy our current pleasant temperatures! I could be worse.
