172 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



disturbance should bo attended by rains of increasinj; area, and will be followed 

 by changes to cooler weather. Atmospheric movements will be more active 

 alons the transatlantic rontes, and a ])eri(Kl of rains is indicated for the British 

 Isles and northwestern Europe. 



The following is an extract from a weekly bulletin issued June 

 12,1010: 



At the close of last week a pronounced disturbance appeared over Iceland, 

 whence it will move eastward and give stormy weather over the British Isles 

 and northwestern Europe during the next three or four days. 



The extract next folloAving is taken from the resume of the fol- 

 lowing- week, and shows the accuracy of the prediction above quoted: 



A disturbance of marlced intensity moved southeastwardly from Iceland 

 over Europe during the first half of the week, attended by general rains, which 

 produced tloods in the rivers of north and central Europe. 



The following special forecast was issued Wednesday, June 22: 



As forecast in the special bulletin of Sunday, the 19th instant, a break in 

 the hot wave that has prevailed during the past week in Montana, North 

 Dakota, South Dakota. Nebraska, and western Minnesota is now in progress, 

 and the indications are that there will be local rains and several days of 

 normal temperature in those States. Warm weather is forecast to continue 

 in the southern Plains States, the Mississippi Valley, and the eastern districts 

 during the next several days. 



The feature of the weather for the week ending June 25 was the 

 hot wave in the Northwestern States during the first half of the 

 week and in the Eastern States from Monday until Friday. Tem- 

 peratures near or above the highest previously recorded in the month 

 of June occurred Monday and Tuesday in Minnesota, North Dakota, 

 South Dakota, Nebraska, and eastern Montana. Local rains occurred 

 the latter half of the week in the Kocky Mountain region, the Plains 

 States, and the upper Mississippi Valley. 



ADDITIONAL ALASKAN REPORTS. 



Reports from three additional stations in Alaska during the year 

 have materially aided in the preparation of the weekly forecasts. 

 It is gratifying to learn that the Canadian Meteorological Service 

 wull shortly establish tAvo new stations, one at Cochrane and the 

 other at The Pas, thus extending the range of observations north- 

 ward and enabling the forecaster to predict more accurately the 

 sweep of cold wave's and storms from that region. 



RIVER AND FLOOD DIVISION. 



The administrative work of the River and Flood Division was of 

 the usual description, having been largely devoted to improving the 

 character of the personnel and securing increased efficiency and per- 

 manency of equipment. A number of special observers were sepa- 

 rated from the service on account of incompetency and neglect of duty, 

 and river gauges were repaired or renewed where necessary. As a 

 rule the sparing floods damage or destroy many gatiges, necessitating 

 a large outlay for renewals, but during the past spring the absence of 

 severe floods permitted the application of a reasonable amount of 

 money to the work of improvement. During the year a Marvin 

 automatic gauge was successfully installed at Parkersburg, W. Va., 

 and it is proposed to install similar gauges during the coming year 



