photo by Hannah Reel

City of Vidalia employee Andy Taylor works under the scorching sun to cover an electrical line on U.S. 84 West Tuesday afternoon. Tuesday was the hottest day thus far of the year with temperatures reaching 97 degrees. “We’re drinking plenty of water,” Taylor said.

Area just misses record high temperatures

By Julie Cooper (Contact) | The Natchez Democrat

Published Tuesday, June 23, 2009

NATCHEZ — With slightly different temperature recording equipment Natchez just might have broken a 112-year-old record for hotness Tuesday.

The National Weather Service’s equipment in Adams County is slightly older than what they use in some other Mississippi towns, meteorologist and forecaster Brad Bryant said.

And the Natchez equipment typically measures the temperate a degree or two lower than the newer equipment would, he said.

So the high temperature recorded Tuesday was only 97 — not enough to beat the 1897 record high of 99.

Record-breaking or not, it was still hot, Bryant said.

Photo by Hannah Reel

Daryl Turner huddles in the shade while taking a break from putting a new roof on Union Missionary Baptist Church Tuesday afternoon.

“(Tuesday) is definitely the hottest it’s been there this year,” he said.

The 97-degree temperature stuck around for several hours from 2:15 p.m. until after 5 p.m.

“I don’t see any solid relief from the heat, but this may end up being the hottest day,” Bryant said.

Temperatures could hit 98 today, he said, but will then begin creeping down approximately a degree a day until they hit the low 90s this weekend.

Adams County has a chance of seeing a few isolated storms this afternoon, and rain chances could continue in the coming days, Bryant said.

The rest of Mississippi is fighting the heat as well. Vicksburg broke its record high hitting 100 degrees. Hattiesburg temperatures hit 102.