Weather rambling — July 1894

“Monday was the warmest day of the season so far, the mercury reaching ninety-eights in the shade,” The Granville Sentinel reported on July 6, 1894.

“The outlook for crops in Granville was never better than at present,” The Sentinel reported on July 13. “During seed time the ground was dry and in good shape for seed beds, and the warm weather and rains have made the crops start finely.”

The early harvest was promising.

“Farmers are busy with their rye harvest. It is a fine crop and nearly double the usual acreage,” the South Hartford correspondent reported. “Hay is very heavy, and oats never looked better at this time of year. Corn and potatoes are looking fine, and potatoes bugs are plenty.”

“Many of our farmers have commenced haying. The crop in this locality is as good as last year,” the Kingsbury correspondent reported on July 7.

There was relief from the heat, as farmers continued their work.

“Mercury has taken a tumble backward,” The Morning Star reported on July 9.

“Farmers are haying all down the line. With good weather a fair crop will be harvested,” the North Creek correspondent reported in The Morning Star on July 12. “Crops in general look well. The last few days have brought corn up to the average. Potatoes look fine, and so do the bugs.”

The optimism was not universal.

“Farmers are complaining of the poor hay weather,” the Queensbury correspondent reported in The Morning Star on July 14.

It became humid.

“Although the thermometer marked but ninety degrees, yesterday was perhaps the sultriest and most oppressive day of the season thus far. Old humidity made man miserable,” The Morning Star reported on July 14.

The Morning Star suggested a relief from the humidity.

“This is the kind of weather that pleases the electric railway company and puts shekels in its coffers. Nothing is more refreshing than a ride to Sanday Hill or Fort Edward and return in an open car,” The Morning Star reported on July 14.

“Last Friday was the hottest day in the summer — 96 to 100 degrees in the shade,” the Fort Ann correspondent reported in The Granville Sentinel on July 27, 1894.

“Two of the hottest days ever known have occurred on Thursday and Friday of last week, the temperature above 100,” the Shushan correspondent reported.

In other 19th century July weather news collected from historic newspapers of the region:

1860

The “prospect for an abundant harvest” was looking promising in July 1860.

“The continued dry weather of the Spring months retarded somewhat the grass, yet we are told the prospect is very cheering, and that there will be more hay out in the country this present summer than last season. Both cereals and roots give promise for a full harvest,” The Fort Edward Ledger reported on July 20. “In some of the northern towns we are told that corn, potatoes rye and oats have not for years looked more flattering.”

Rain had raised the water level of rivers.

“The rains have sent down large quantities of logs, giving our lumbermen full employment for the present.”

1876

“Carr’s icehouse is well patronized this hot weather,” the Ticonderoga Sentinel reported on July 14.

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