316 



Twenty-seventh Annual Report 



TABLE XXX. MONTHLY AND TOTAL PRECH'ITATION IN INCHES FOR 1916 



*Not given. 



fruit in the central and eastern cotmties. Ang'iist and September were 

 slightly cooler than nstial. September had more than its normal ])re- 

 cipitation, and excessive rains in the u]danfls north of Salt River Valley 

 caused floods which broke the main canal and flooded a portion of the 

 }>roject, causing considerable loss to farmers as well as damage to the 

 canal system. November, as compared with other years, broke all records 

 for low temperature, dryness and abundance of sunshine. Although 

 tiiere were no unusual extremes of cold, the temperature of December 

 was ahiKjst continuously below normal, and the precipitation was less 

 than usual. 



The total precipitation was slightly below that of the previous year. 

 January, 1916, however, is the wettest month on record for many years. 

 The melting of the December snows and the heavy rains caused floods 

 throughout the State. According to reliable information, the high- 

 \\ater marks of the Salt and Gila Rivers this season have not been 

 exceeded since 1891. 



May. usually the driest month, had less tlian average rainfall this 

 year, but June was still drier, the only ai)prcciablc precipitation being at 

 Tucson. Farms without irrigation suffered. 



As a whole, the weather conditions of 1916 may be considered as 

 favorable to the agricultural and grazing interests of the state. 



C. N. Catlin, 



Observer, 



