296 ' Eighth Annual Report of the 



on the 16tb, giving a considerable snow fall which was badly 

 drifted by high winds. Finally, a low area of moderate energy 

 passed eastward over Pennsylvania on the 23d, giving an appre- 

 ciable snowfall throughout the State, and cold northerly winds. 



The most noteworthy anticyclones of this month, like those of 

 November, were offshoots from nearly stationary areas over the 

 western part of the continent. The first high moved eastward 

 to the Great Lake Region on the 2d and 3d, bringing a severe 

 cold wave of brief duration. The second high area was confined 

 mainlv to the southern States and coast, and tended to raise the 

 temperature over the northern States. The third anticyclone de- 

 veloped to the northward of the Great Lakes on the 14th, bring- 

 ing a decided depression of temperature which was continued by 

 a series of waves of high pressure spreading eastward from a 

 strongly developed high in the northwest. The pressure increased 

 over nearly the entire continent until the 27th, when the area 

 moved off the coast, while a general rise of temperature occurred 

 in its rear. The last anticyclone developed in central Canada, 

 and the colder weather due to it was beginning to be felt in this 

 vicinity at the close of the month. 



Reports from 39 stations show that only on the Adirondack 

 Plateau was there an appreciable covering of snow on the ground 

 on the loth. On the 31st the depth ranged from 1 to 6 inches over 

 portions of the Northern and Eastern Plateaus and along the 

 Atlantic Coast. Over the greater part of the State there was not 

 sufficient snow for a week's sleighing during the month. 



Reports on the closing of streams were received from the ob- 

 servers at Binghamton, Cooperstown, Wappingers Falls, Cald- 

 well and North Hammond, The Susquehanna froze over on the 

 4th, was clear on the 6th and closed again on the 18th. The Hud 

 son closed on the 24th and the St. Lawrence on the 25th, teams 

 crossing on the ice on the 28th, but opened again on January 

 1st. Lake George closed on the 24th. On the 1st to 3d, Otsego 

 Lake was covered by ice for a distance of two miles from the 

 foot of the lake. 



