146 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE 



VARIABLE CLIMATE. 



The climate of Michigan is subject to wide variations, especially in the rainfall. 

 The average rainfall, including snow, is ;31.27 inches at tlie Agricultural Collegx-, 

 yet in 1894 the rainfall was only 19.3 inches, while in 1883 is was -18.36 inches. The 

 fluctuations in temperature are less, the mean temperature being 46.56, yet in ISTl 

 it was 49.90, while in 1873 it was 41.54 degrees, or more than eight degrees colder. 



To enable one to see at a glance the fluctuations in rainfall, and in temperature 

 above the frost point for the six growing months, from May to October*, the above 

 plate is inserted. The heavy black horizontal line denotes the relative amount 

 of rainfall for the six months, while the vertical heavy black line shows the normal 

 rainfall for the period. The light horizontal line shows the relative temperature 

 above frost point for the six months of the year, and the light vertical line shows 

 the normal temperature above frost point for the same period. 



The changes from year to year in the amoimt of rainfall are so great as to be 

 confusing in studying the weather. To equalize this in some degree and see 

 whether our climate is changing, the results are recast in periods of five years, 

 both in the annual rainfall and in that for six months of the active growing 

 season: 



Inches of mean rainfall by periods: . Year. 6 months. 



1864 to 1868 31.70 17.67 



1869 to 1873 31.34 19.18 



1874 to 1878 31.88 17.23 



1879 to 1883 37.34 23.24 



1884 to 1888 31.78 17.34 



1889 to 1893 28.34 18.22 



1894 to 1897 27.73 18.73 



PROXIMITY TO THE GREAT LAKES. 



The influence of the great lakes on the climate of neighboring land, especially 

 when the prevailing winds blow from the water over the land, is recognized. To 

 show the extent of this influence as far as possible, observations were consulted 

 in the office of the State Weather Bureau, and by the kindness of Director 

 Schneider, are here presented. They cover a period of ten years past, and embrace 

 the mean temperature and rainfall for the six months — May to October: 



Temperature. Rainfall. 



Grand Haven, Ottawa Co 60.60 18.38 



Hart, Oceana Co 60.71 17.06 



Ivan, Kalkaska Co 59.40 17.33 



Charlevoix, Charlevoix Co 59.39 16.83 



Cheboygan. Cheboygan Co 57.45 18.00 



Alpena, Alpena Co 56.63 19.89 



Harrisville, Alcona Co. 59.48 18.15 



Jeddo. Sanilac Co 61.41 16.46 



Port Huron, St. Clair Co 60.53 16.91 



Grayling, Crawford Co 58.18 14.11 



Ovid, Clinton Co (;i.60 1.5.70 



Alma, Gratiot Co 61.03 16.86 



Flint, Genesee Co 60.90 13.84 



Agricultural College, Ingham Co 61.13 16.31 



A progressive fall in temperature is to be expected as we pass northward. The 

 variation in the amount of rainfall for the active six months is a matter of interest. 

 Note the rainfall at Ivan (17.33), at Grayling (14.11) and at Harrisville (18.15), all 

 of them in the same tier of counties. Also at Grand Haven (18.38), at Ovid (15.70), 

 at Fhnt (13.84) and at Port Huron (16.91)— all in the same tier of counties, reaching 

 across the State from west to east. 



