June 1936 thunderstorms in Flora, Illinois

Dear Tom,
There is a family story that says my grandmother melted snow to give my aunt her
first bath. She was born Downstate in Flora, Ill., about halfway between St. Louis and
Vincennes, Ind.., on June 12, 1936. Could this be true?
Nancy Miller, Dyer, Ind.
Dear Nancy,
We are certain it did not snow in Flora, Ill., during June 1936, but we think we
may have found the basis of your family’s story. June 1936 was a hot month in
southern Illinois, with high temperatures reaching the 90s and low 100s on many
days, though on the date of your aunt’s birth the high was only 81 degrees. Flora was
hit by several thunderstorms that month, including some that produced hail and
damaging winds. One of these storms occurred on June 22, battering the area with
hail and 0.8 inches of rain. It is possible your grandmother collected and melted the
hail to give her 10-day-old daughter a bath.