[Marshall] Texas Republican, August 11, 1860
The following account of the “heated term” has been condensed from a weather journal, kept at the Railroad Office in Marshall, the thermometer in the shade:
The “term” commenced about the 1st of May, and the end is not yet. The period of the greatest heat was during the month of July, when the thermometer indicated over 100 degrees Farenh. excepting four days, when it was between 90 and 100. The greatest heat attained was 115½ degrees, on Sunday the 8th, and 113 degrees on Sunday, the 29th.
On the 15th, a slight norther and a change of temperature; at 8 o’clock, A.M., 88 degrees, and at 8¼ P.M., 75, with high wind, clouds of dust, but no rain. From the 15th to the 18th, the temperature was below 100. The average for the month of July, between 8 o’clock, 1.m., and 5 o’clock., P.M., has been 93 degrees.
There was a light rain on the 23d of April. On the 14th of July a few drops fell; on the 23d a slight sprinkling; on the 26th and on the 30th, more showers, just enough to keep the dust quiet for an hour or two. The wind has been very uniformly South, and in the month of July especially, has blown with considerable strength, and served to mitigate the suffering which such intense heat is likely to produce, particularly at night, and every night, the thermometer often indicating a temperature as low as 70 degrees.
It will perhaps be unnecessary to state, that we are suffering some from drouth , as the preceding abstract will show.