(WSJ) – Across the South, residents and farmers are facing a double punch of hot temperatures and drought even as the calendar has flipped to fall. The thermometer hit 101 degrees in Montgomery, Ala., on Tuesday, breaking the record by 6 degrees. Twice last month, the city saw a high of 103. Official government tallies for September aren’t in yet, but dozens of cities across the country are expected to break records, especially in the Southeast. On Tuesday,
record highs were set across the region, with temperatures sitting in the high 90s in cities including Nashville, Tenn., Tallahassee, Fla., and Louisville, Ky. Meridian, Miss., hit a sweltering 101. In Atlanta, the high hasn’t dipped below 90 degrees for 10 days. The unusual heat wave comes after this summer tied for the hottest on record for the Northern Hemisphere, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Scientists say the string of warm months suggests this year will be among the five hottest on record. READ MORE
