4G0 Eighth Annual Report of the 



Maximum and Minimum Temperature. 



Table 9 presents the stati&ties of temperature during long 

 periods at several points representing the prominent climatic 

 region of New York, and also exhibits the higiiest and lowest 

 values which have been recorded in the State. 



The accuracy of the maximum temperatures (excepting as 

 marked with the reference A) can not be vouched for, especia;lly 

 as regards the records kept prior to the establishment of Signal 

 Service standards and methods in 1S70. Maxima of 100 degrees 

 or more within this State are to be accepted with caution. Even 

 in cases where the values appear to be syistemiatically too high, 

 hiowever, they may give relative results of value when compared 

 with others of the same series. 



While a slight defect in the exposure of the thermometer may 

 cause too high a maximum reading, the minimum reading is not 

 likely to be too low excepting as the result of defects in the scale 

 of the instrument; and hence the minimum values given in the 

 table are subject to less error than the maxima. The lowest 

 value (-46 degrees) does not appear improibatole, in view of the 

 minimum of -35 degrees oibtadned under standard conditions in 

 1889. Mercury is several times reported to have been frozen at 

 points not usually so subject to extreme cold as the station in 

 question. (See page 504.) The lowest temperatures in New York* 

 have thus for been obtained near the upper limit of the St. Law- 

 rence valley, between the north eastern shore of Lake Ontario 

 and the Adirondack highlands. Owing to the fact that the in- 

 struments of ^^^eather Bureau stations are usuall}' located on 

 the roofs of high buildings, such stations are not credited, in table 

 9, with the standard conditions of expoisure used 'by the staitions 

 oif the State service. 



In ta/ble 10 will be found the maxima and minima observed at 

 a large number of stations provided with the standard thermom- 

 eters of the National and State AVeather Bureaus. Although 

 the observations extend over only four years, the results are 

 valuable for purposes of comparison. The maxima in a few 

 cases appear to be affected by an imperfect exposure of the 

 thermometers. 



