322 Eighth Annual Report of the 



The average total precipitation over the State for the year was 

 39.13 inches, as derived from the records of 112 stations. The 

 maximum local precipitation was 51.87 inches at Bedford, West- 

 chester county, while the minimum was 24.98 inches at Fort 

 Niagara. The greatest monthly average for the State was 5.52 

 inches in February, the least, 1.22 inches in April. The greatest 

 local monthly precipitation was 12.02 inches at West Point in 

 March, and the least was 0.38 inches at Madison Barracks in 

 April. The total amount and distribution of rainfall over the 

 State are shown in detail by the fourth chart of this report, and 

 the average daily amounts by the sixth chart. The average pre- 

 cipitation for 1896 at 27 stations possessing records for previous 

 years was 0.67 inches below the normal amount. Deficiencies 

 occurred at 14 stations, being greatest on the Atlantic Coast. 

 The average total snowfall at 49 well distributed stations was 

 78.2 inches. The snowfall exceeded 100 inches at 5 stations on 

 the highlands near the Great Lakes, and at Rochester and Can- 

 ton; the maximum amount being 184.9 inches at Number Four, 

 Lewis county. The least snowfall reported was 22.9 inches at 

 Fort Niagara. 



The average number of days on which the precipitation 

 amounted to 0.01 inches or more was 124; the greatest storm 

 frequency obtaining on the Northern Plateau, and the least along 

 the eastern border of the State, in the coast region and the St. 

 Lawrence valley. The average number of clear days, for the 

 State, was 117; of partly cloudy days, 121; of cloudy days, 128; 

 giving an average cloudiness of 53 per cent. The distribution of 

 cloudiness is shown by the fifth chart of this report. 



General Features of the Weather. — The averages of temperature, 

 precipitation and cloudiness for the year 1896 were very nearly 

 normal; but nevertheless, the current conditions wore remarkable 

 for extreme ranges ahd large fluctuations, especially during the 

 colder months of the year. The lowest average daily tempera- 

 ture over the State yet recorded by this Bureau, 8 degrees below 

 zero, occurred on February 17tli, on which date also a minimum 

 temperature of 43 degrees below zero was reported from Canton, 



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