This Day in Weather History September 5
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
1983: Severe hail and wind storms produced significant damage across portions of northern and western Iowa on September 5-6. The worst damage was reported in Pocahontas County and also in Mills and Montgomery counties where hail as large as baseballs fell and a wind gust to 92 mph was measured at Red Oak.
1913: The first week of September was very hot with temperatures reaching the 90s or 100s on each of the first seven days of the month. On the 5th the temperature rose all the way to 107 F at Bedford tying the all-time Iowa September mark. Other high temperatures that day included 106 F at Centerville and Clarinda, 105 F at Mount Ayr, and 104 F at Afton, Atlantic, Corydon, Greenfield, and Northboro. Amazingly, a very early statewide freeze and killing frost would occur just a couple of weeks later on the 22nd. Meanwhile, an unexplained weather phenomenon occurred on the 5th at Albia where the Yankee Robinson circus was in town. As the performing dogs were leaving the ring under the big top a whistling sound was heard and the tent began to rip and sway then collapsed. A 12 year old boy was killed by a tent pole and 15 other people were injured. A thunderstorm was rumbling in the distance, but residents a half mile away from the circus who were working outside did not witness any storms or other unusual weather phenomena nearby and were unaware that anything had happened until people began to run toward them seeking help. The explanation for this event remains a mystery.
