Unexpected Event-the Great Simoon

From a newspaper account of the "Great Simoon":

"In June 1859 Santa Barbara’s weather had been quite normal, with
highs in the 70s and low 80s. But on June 17th, all the record books were broken. Santa Barbara experienced the greatest temperature change in one day in North America.

The day began sunny and clear. Around noon, the temperature was an unusually warm 100°. Then a hot air current swept into the Channel Basin. This was no regular Santa Ana wind; rather it swept in from the northwest. Residents called it a simoon, referring to the hot, dusty and suffocating winds of the Arabian Desert. The simoon struck like a furnace, destroying nearly everything in its path. Cattle dropped dead. Fruit fell from trees and withered on the ground. Vegetation was scorched and crops were ruined for the year.

As thermometers rose to an incredible 133°, there was so much dust in the air that residents could scarcely see the sun. People fled to their homes or local churches, seeking shelter... For some three
hours, the temperature held steady at 130°. Then, around 5 in the
evening, the temperature cooled to a still sizzling 122°. But then the simoon left as quickly as it had come. By 7 p.m., the temperature was back to 77°!"