Weather rambling — Lies of May

May can be a month of fickle weather.

“Our spring has lied like a gas meter,” opined the North Creek correspondent to The Glen’s Falls Republican on May 30, 1876. “It has repeatedly promised us warm weather and as often gone back on its fair promises.”

A May 17, 1854 Glen’s Falls Republican weather report was more optimistic.

“From all parts of the county we hear the unanimous report of the weather and forward crops. With us, as with our neighboring counties, everything promises an excellent yield and abundant harvest.”

And on May 20, 1862:

“Hardly within memory of the best inhabitants have the fruit trees in this vicinity been so loaded with blossoms as the present time. The prospects of a large crop are very flattering.”

No so optimistic on May 24, 1864:

“Quite a heavy frost visited different localities in our county on Sunday night last. We have not learned that any serious injury was done.”

On May 9, 1875 the temperature in Glens Falls was 77 in the shade, but it seemed a fluke.

“Our farmers have commenced their spring work, but no crops are in the ground yet, on account of the cold weather that is still with us,” the Republican reported on May 11. “From the condition of the atmosphere for the past week or more we are inclined to think there has been a mistake made some where and we are still in the month of March instead of smiling May.”

Early potatoes “were peeping through the ground” in D.W. Legett’s garden on Notre-Dame Street on May 25, but harsh weather earlier in the spring had wiped out about 80 percent of honey bees.

Click here to read the most recent previous weather ramblings post.