January 21 temperatures in Ohio have been dropping at a rate of 12F per century. On January 21, 1906, it was 78F at Waverly, Ohio – which more than sixty degrees warmer than today.
The warmth was attributed at the time to solar activity.
Springfield News-Sun Mon, Jan 22, 1906 · Page 7
“WARM WEATHER EASILY EXPLAINED
Colonel Leland Gives Interesting Solution In His Address at Men’s Meeting. Colonel Samuel Phelps Leland, the noted lecturer and astronomer, was greeted by a large and attentive audience at the men’s meeting at the Y. M. C. A. Sunday afternoon. The subject of Colonel Leland’s address was “The Wonders of a Sunbeam.”
Mr. Leland explained in detail the vibrations of heat, light and sound, paying particular attention to the properties of light.
What was probably the most interesting part of the address was the explanation given by Mr. Leland for the extreme warm weather which prevailed on Sunday.
Early in the spring there were immense spots visible on the face of the sun. These spots are supposed to have been formed by large portions of the gaseous body solidifying on the surface. As the sun is 1,400,000 times as large as the earth, the immensity of these bodies can be imagined. These huge masses are now breaking up and falling into the molten body of the sun, and in so doing are creating a vast disturbance, causing flames to shoot out into space for thousands of miles. A greater heat than usual is produced by this act, as when a fire is stirred to throw out more heat.”
Jan 22, 1906, page 7 – Springfield News-Sun at Newspapers.com
21 Jan 1906, 1 – New-York Tribune at Newspapers.com
08 Jan 1906 – THE HEAT WAVE – Trove
08 Jan 1906 – EXTENSIVE HEAT WAVE. – Trove
