Real Climate Records

FIRST CENTURY OF THE SEASON

The summer began early indeed this year, and perspiring citizens have recalled that fact beyond all shadow of doubt, more especially during the last few days.

On Saturday the mercury in the thermometer, which had gradually but rarely been rising a little bit higher every day for a week past, broke a new record.

It soared up over 100 deg.

The first century of the season and in October!

Usually people think they are ill-used by the Clerk of the Weather if they get a severe heat wave before December. It is not uncommon for November to pass by without the temperature attaining to three figures.

This year, however, South Australians have become philosophical, and are prepared almost for anything.

The atmospheric conditions have seemed all at sixes and sevens for a long time past. August was like the average September, but without rain, and the ninth month of the year was more like a dry October than September.

Now that October is here it has been proving more like a severely warm November than what people are accustomed to in mid-spring. According to the Observatory figures the hottest day ever known previously in October in 1859, when the mercury rose to 100.5 deg.

On Saturday, at noon, it had reached 100.8 deg., and the maximum for the day was 102.2 deg. There had previously been five days over 90 deg. since the beginning of the month, and that fact, combined with Saturday’s big total and the absolute dryness of the month, constitutes a chapter which will probably stand unbeaten in the meteorological records of the State for many years.

It is strangely enough always some faint consolation to the public to be told that the temper-

ature is over the century, as then they know that the heat is not a figment of their imagination but an indisputable fact, proved by figures which admit of no argument. Vendors of cool drinks

and ice cream reaped a profitable harvest on Saturday in consequence of the trying conditions.

Hot in Other States.

Record heat for October was also experienced on Saturday in Melbourne and Hobart. In the former city the mercury rose to 99 deg., the previous record being 96.1 deg. on October 30, 1885, and in the latter it reached 92 deg., the previous record being 91.5 in 1845.