50 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



SEVERE STORMS. 



Four tropical storms, for which hurricane warnings were ordered, 

 occurred during the year — two in July and one each in August and 

 October. The first of these, that of July 1-10, developed in the west 

 Caribbean Sea and moving northward passed over Mobile, Ala., 

 July 5, causing a maximum wind velocity of 106 miles per hour at 

 that station and 104 miles at Pensacola; these velocities being the 

 highest on record at those stations up to that time. The unusually 

 high tides and torrential rains attending this storm caused enormous 

 losses in central and southern portions of the east Gulf States. The 

 second, that of July 12-15, developed in the Bahama Islands and 

 moved northwest, passing over Charleston, S. C, on July 14, with 

 a velocity of 64 miles per hour from the northeast. No severe losses 

 attended this storm. The third, that of August 12-18, was first ob- 

 served in the vicinity of the Barbadoes and moved northwest through 

 the Yucatan Channel and across the Gulf of Mexico, passing inland 

 between Corpus Christi and Brownsville, Tex., on the 18th. Con- 

 siderable damage was caused on the west Texas coast by the high 

 winds, the highest velocity, estimated at 90 miles per hour, occurring 

 at Corpus Christi. Some of the 20 vessels held at New Orleans on 

 account of the warnings probably would have encountered the hurri- 

 cane in the Yucatan Channel and might have met the same fate as 

 the Adtniral Clarke, which was lost on the night of the 16th. Vessel 

 masters and agents who held their vessels until the routes were de- 

 clared safe expressed the highest commendation for the manner in 

 which the Weather Bureau kept them advised. The fourth, that of 

 October 9-19, developed over the central Caribbean Sea, moved west 

 across the Yucatan Peninsula and then northeast across the Gulf, 

 passing over Pensacola on the morning of the 18th. Maximum wind 

 velocities of 120 miles from the southeast at Pensacola and 128 miles 

 from the east at Mobile, the highest on record at these stations, at- 

 tended this storm. The storm did little damage, comparatively 

 speaking, as ample precautions had been taken as a result of the 

 advance warnings. 



A storm of marked intensity, for which whole-gale warnings were 

 ordered, passed over the Lake region on November 23-24. It was 

 reported that these warnings were so thoroughly distributed through- 

 out the region that no vessels left port until after the severe gales 

 subsided ; and further, that the absence of wrecks and loss of life is 

 evidence that the marine interests generally heeded the warnings 

 issued by the Weather Bureau. 



SEVERE COLD WAVES. 



A notable feature of the meteorological history of the year was 

 the severe cold wave, which, reaching the Mississippi Valley by the 

 night of January 31, overspread the entire eastern half of the country 

 during February 1-3. On the latter date the temperature fell to 

 16° at Jacksonville and below freezing throughout the Florida Penin- 

 sula, Miami reporting a minimum of 28°, the lowest of record at 

 that station. This was the most severe freeze in Florida since Feb- 

 ruary, 1899. Ample warnings of the cold wave were issued well in 

 advance, the accurate forecasts of expected minimum temperatures 

 in Florida proving of great value. 



