By David Kennard
dkennard@journalscene.com
Fun facts about the weather...
When people say it is hotter than Hell, most scientists –
and by that I mean the first Google result I found – estimate hell cooks at
about 11,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
They derive that figure by assuming that Hell is located
“down below,” equidistant from all points on the planet – or the center of the
Earth.
Since no one has actually been to the center of the planet,
it’s really hard to qualify that.
My grandmother, who spent the last two years of her life in
a nursing home – but regularly made hikes around her small Midwest town until
the day she died – was fond of the saying that she’d been to “hell and back”
for one reason or another.
I don’t think she ever ventured to the center of the earth,
but I’m certain Grandma Dorothy knew more about living through the heat of the
summer than most of us.
While the question of the temperature in Hell may be more
theological than geological, I would offer that it is not nearly as hot as the
temperature in my car when I make my Cherry Pepsi run in the middle of the
day.Even escaping to the cool waters of South Carolina’s beaches don’t offer
too much relief.
I took the family to Folly Beach on Saturday and learned the
water was 85 degrees. How do you cool down in 85-degree water? Our friends
across the country in California are enjoying water temperatures at Newport
Beach of 72 degrees – and they’re wearing wetsuits.
Here is Summerville, we’ve had a hot July. As a newcomer, I
can only echo what others are telling me. It’s hot out there, for sure, but
it’s not nearly as hot as it has been in past years.
I spent a little time this week digging through the archives
here at the Journal Scene and discovered some fun information.
Summerville saw its hottest July on record exactly 30 years
ago in 1986. Do you remember 1986?
That was the year Space Shuttle Challenger exploded in
flames shortly after lifting off.
It was the year that the Chernobyl Nuclear plant in Russia
irradiated much of Europe in the worst nuclear disaster in history.
And it was the year that mad cow disease was first
identified. Not a good year.
Closer to home, 1986’s headlines were almost as gloomy.
As I was digging though the pages of Journal Scene from
1986, I found a headline over a story by reporter Barbara Hill – yes that
Barbara Hill – that declared, “North Charleston is Getting closer.”
“It used to be you had to drive quite a distance to reach
North Charleston. Now two miles of Dorchester Road and a quarter-of-a-mile of
Ladson Road are all that separate the municipal boundaries of that city from
the Town of Summerville.
“Summerville recently annexed the Ladson Farms area along
the Miles-Jamison Road, and that land extends back to the railroad tract
crossing Ladson Road. This brought North Charleston to within that quarter of a
mile of Summerville.
“ ‘Someday we’ll surely touch along Dorchester,’ said Berlin
G. Myers, Summerville’s mayor. “I don’t know who’ll be going in what direction
out there, but we’ll touch.’ ”
Now, 30 years later, Berlin G. Myers’ prophetic words have
been realized.
Temperature-wise, July in Summerville in 1986 saw at least
10 days of 100-degree weather. This year, we’ve had two.
According to the National Weather Service, the average high
temperature in 1986 was 100.25 degrees. Now, 30 years later, the average high
temperature is 95.11 degrees.
But don’t go putting your sweater on yet, 95 degrees is
still plenty warm, so warm that we’ve seen several heat advisories this month.
Another Journal Scene story from 1986 warned residents to
take precautions during excessively hot days.
The story urged local residents to modify outdoor activities
and do strenuous work during the coolest parts of the day.
“Also, dressing in loose fitting clothing, taking frequent
breaks and drinking water often during periods of increased activity can help
avoid possible injury,” the story stated.
That’s good advice even if it is 30 years old. Stay cool out
there.
David Kennard is the executive editor of Summerville
Communications, which publishes the Berkeley Independent, Goose Creek Gazette
and Summerville Journal Scene. Contact him at dkennard@journalscene.com or
843-873-9424. Follow him on Twitter @davidbkennard.
No comments:
Post a Comment