1911 Eastern North America heat wave

1911 severe heat wave in the northeastern United States May 2025 February 2025 In a shady spot.jpg Children seeking shade during the July 4, 1911, heat wave in New York City 1911 7 4 - 1911 7 15 Heat wave 380 confirmed; possibly as high as 2,000 Northeastern United States The 1911 Eastern North America heat wave was an 11-day severe heat wave that killed at least 380 people, though estimates have put the death toll as high as 2,000 people.http://www.courant.com/courant-250/moments-in-history/hc-in-1911-deadly-heat-settles-over-northeast-20140117-htmlstory.html In 1911, Deadly Heat Settles Over Northeast SHEA JIM courant.com 2018-08-24 en-US The heat wave began on July 4 and did not cease until July 15.Eleven Dead in Pittsburg. Ice Famine Grows Worse and Suffering Is Great. Cooling Breeze Last Night and Promise of Thunder Showers to Follow The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/1911/07/11/archives/heat-kills-19-here-relief-due-today-cooling-breeze-last-night-and.html July 11, 1911 The second day of the second record-breaking heat spell in a fortnight was hot, but the maximum temperature did not equal that reached just a week ago. The wind turned just in time, blowing an eighteen-mile comforter, and 95.3 °F (35.2 °C) was the maximum recorded, as against 98 °F (36.6 °C) last Monday. In Nashua, New Hampshire, the temperature peaked at 106 °F (41 °C)July 2026. In New York City, 158 people and 600 horses died.40 Die As Heat Wave Nears End. Cooler Weather Due Today. Little Relief in Last Night's Shower https://www.nytimes.com/1911/07/07/archives/40-die-as-heat-wave-nears-end-cooler-weather-due-today-little.html While New York got its promised shower at 9 o'clock last night, a five-minute sprinkling just sufficient to wet the pavements, there was no change in the temperature and the remainder of the night was as hot as were the five nights preceding. ... In New England and the West and in some parts of New York State local storms broke the heat wave last night. But like New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburg, ... The New York Times July 7, 1911 2011-10-14Heat's Grip Broken After 32 More Die; Drop of Ten Degrees Marks End of Torrid Spell That Cost 146 Lives Here in Six Days https://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FA0F12F63F5517738DDDA10894DF405B818DF1D3 With a suddenness which astonished even the weather sharps the heat wave broke at 1:30 yesterday afternoon. Within 30 minutes the temperature dropped from the maximum mark of 87 °F (30.5 °C), which the thermometers had held for several hours, to 77 °F (25 °C), furnishing ten degrees of the best cheer which New Yorkers had experienced for many years. During the day, however, thirty-two died of the heat. The New York Times July 8, 1911 2010-11-07 Description Throughout June 1911, the temperature had been consistent with what normally was felt during New England summers, but starting in July, dry air which originated from the southern great plains began to flow into Canada before being swept south toward the east coast. The hot wind suppressed cooler ocean breezes, and this caused the temperature to rise so suddenly and dramatically that in Providence, Rhode Island, there was a rise of 11 F-change C-change in a half hourJuly 2026. The area between Pennsylvania and Maine was reportedly most affected by the heat. During the 11 days, temperature records were set all over New England. In Boston, the temperature rose to 104° (40 °C) on July 4, an all-time record high that still stands. A statewide all time heat record for Maine was set in Bridgton, at 105 F C.What's the All-Time Highest Temperature for Your Maine Town? Read More: What's the All-Time Highest Temperature for Your Maine Town? https://wblm.com/will-today-be-one-of-the-all-time-hottest-days-in-portland-maine/ November 22, 2022 102.9 WBLM Portland July 19, 2022 In Canada, Toronto saw temperatures as high as 39.4 C F on, the highest temperature recorded until 1936 at 40.6 C F on.Highest Temperatures in Toronto History https://www.extremeweatherwatch.com/cities/toronto/highest-temperatures 2025-06-30 www.extremeweatherwatch.com In Quebec, Montreal reached up to 35 C F onMontreal Weather in 1911 https://www.extremeweatherwatch.com/cities/montreal/year-1911 2026-07-17 www.extremeweatherwatch.com and held that record until 1917 (35.6 C F on).Highest Temperatures in Montreal History https://www.extremeweatherwatch.com/cities/montreal/highest-temperatures 2026-07-17 www.extremeweatherwatch.com The heatwave was finally ended by a severe thunderstorm, which traveled across the Northeast and killed an additional five people.https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/heat-wave-strikes-northeast Heat wave strikes Northeast - Jul 04, 1911 - HISTORY.com HISTORY.com 2018-08-24 Heatwave impacts Health impacts Canada In Montreal, many people took advantage on the 4th of July of regulations getting loosened on to allow people to sleep in parks, while many others were also reported by The Quebec Chronicle to sleep on balconies, rooftops, and doorsteps.1911-07-04 Toronto and Montreal Are Hot Too. The Quebec chronicle, mercredi 5 juillet 1911 BAnQ Numérique https://numerique.banq.qc.ca/patrimoine/details/52327/3609549 The Quebec Chronicle en Quebec 1911-07-05 1 2026-07-17 Deaths and "prostrations" (incidents of heat exhaustion) were reported in both Ontario (Toronto and Hamilton1911-07-04 The Heat in Hamilton. The Quebec Chronicle, mercredi 5 juillet 1911 BAnQ Numérique https://numerique.banq.qc.ca/patrimoine/details/52327/3609549 The Quebec Chronicle en Quebec 1911-07-05 1 2026-07-17) and Québec (Montreal) provinces. In Toronto, about half of the deaths are infants.1911-07-04 Awful Infant Mortality in Toronto The Quebec chronicle, mercredi 5 juillet 1911 BAnQ Numérique https://numerique.banq.qc.ca/patrimoine/details/52327/3609549 The Quebec Chronicle en 1911-07-05 1 2026-07-17 United States The first day of the heatwave caused crowds in major cities to form around thermometers so they could watch the temperature rise. Pedestrians in these crowds reportedly began to collapse from heat stroke as the day went by. By nighttime, mothers walked the street with crying infants hoping to keep them awake in fear that if they slept in their cribs they would not awaken.http://www.courant.com/courant-250/moments-in-history/hc-in-1911-deadly-heat-settles-over-northeast-20140117-htmlstory.html In 1911, Deadly Heat Settles Over Northeast SHEA JIM courant.com limited 2018-08-24 en-US As the heat wave's second day began, 17 people had died from drowning alone after trying to swim in order to escape the heat. Due to the temperature indoors many began sleeping outside either on roofs of apartments or on sidewalks with at least 5,000 people sleeping on the Boston Common alone.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ct5IAAAAIBAJ&pg=3412,4274795&dq=sleeping+boston+common&hl=en The Meriden Daily Journal - Google News Archive Search news.google.com 2018-08-24 Besides deaths caused directly by the heat, it was reported that in every major city affected by the heatwave that the temperatures had been driving people insane and causing suicides.http://www.newenglandhistoricalsociety.com/the-1911-heat-wave-was-so-deadly-it-drove-people-insane/ The 1911 Heat Wave Was So Deadly It Drove People Insane - New England Historical Society www.newenglandhistoricalsociety.com 21 July 2015 en-US 2018-08-24 One such example, reported by The New London Day, was of an elderly Boston man named Jacob Seegar who reportedly was driven so insane by the heat that he killed himself with a revolver in order to escape it.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=IvggAAAAIBAJ&pg=1486,441903&dq=roxbury&hl=en The Day - Google News Archive Search news.google.com 2018-08-24 The death toll continued to rise until finally a sudden thunderstorm brought a wave of relief, soon after which temperatures returned to their normal levels for good.https://www.history.com/news/heat-wave-1911-weather-insane The Deadly 1911 Heat Wave That Drove People Insane HISTORY 2018-08-24 en The 1911 heat wave is considered the most deadly weather-related disaster in the history of New England.https://newengland.com/today/living/new-england-history/worst-weather-disaster-new-england-history/ The Worst Weather Disaster in New England History 19 August 2021 Contemporaneously, The Springfield Weekly Republican reported 319 deaths and 1138 "prostrations" (incidents of heat exhaustion) in New England, with 104 deaths and 511 prostrations occurring in Boston.https://www.newspapers.com/article/springfield-weekly-republican-319-deaths/181857728/ 319 Deaths in New England The Springfield Weekly Republican Springfield, Massachusetts 4 July 20, 1911 September 27, 2025 newspapers.com In 2010, Yankee magazine noted a death toll of 1,100 for Massachusetts alone.Aldrich Ian Natural Disasters: New England Numbers https://newengland.com/yankee-magazine/living/trivia/disasters-numbers/ 16 February 2022 Yankee Magazine March 24, 2010 In Philadelphia, 158 people were reported to have died from the heatwave. Across the Northeast, 200 people were reported to have drowned while swimming in an attempt to escape the heat. Several deaths were additionally caused by the thunderstorms that broke the heat wave.alt=People standing around a freight locomotive train wreck at Westerly station.|thumb|Divided back postcard of a July 1911 wreck at Westerly station. A freight locomotive derailed down an incline, killing the engineer and injuring two firemen. Economic impacts Due to the excessive heat, railroad rails expanded and bent. By the time the sun had risen on July 5, industry had come to a standstill. Throughout the region, factories were closed and mail service was suspended. See also Ice famine 1896 Eastern North America heat wave List of disasters in Massachusetts by death toll References Further reading https://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/local-news/2022/07/30/hot-enough-for-ya-maybe-but-good-luck-breaking-nashuas-all-time-record-high/ Hot enough for ya? Maybe, but good luck breaking Nashua's all-time record high Dean Shalhoup Nashua Telegraph Nashua, New Hampshire July 30, 2022 September 27, 2025 https://www.telegram.com/story/news/local/north/2011/07/07/a-really-hot-summer-1911/49975955007/ A really hot summer — 1911 Albert B. Southwick Telegram & Gazette Worcester, Massachusetts July 7, 2011 September 27, 2025 External links 1911heatwave autocollapse Category:Heat waves in the United States Eastern North America heat wave Eastern North America heat wave Eastern North America heat wave Category:Meteorological events in 1911 Category:1911 natural disasters Category:20th-century heat waves Eastern North America heat wave Eastern North America heat wave