688 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



10th, and the mean temperature was above normal at all stations, the 

 greatest excess being about 6° from southern Harrison County southeast 

 to Page County. The mean temperature, December to March, inclusive, 

 was 30.4°, or 6.5° higher than the normal and 1.4° warmer than the warm- 

 est similar period heretofore (1907-8) in 29 years. The ground was not 

 frozen deeply at any time and plowing was done at intervals in each of the 

 winter months. 



Snow occurred at most stations on the 4th or 6th-7th and heavy rains 

 14th-16th. The total precipitation was slightly below the normal from 

 the middle-western counties northeast to the north-central counties; also 

 in the extreme northeast and southeast. An excess of over 2 inches oc- 

 curred in Polk, Warren, and the southern portions of Marion and Ma- 

 haska Counties. 



The ground was snow-covered in nearly all portions of the State during 

 the prevalence of zero temperatures at the beginning of the month. In 

 the Big Sioux Valley and east through the northern two tiers of counties 

 and from Polk and Warren Counties northeast to the Mississippi River 

 the snow covering continued from 7 to 10 days. 



The soil was more than usually moist throughout the winter, but dried 

 rapidly after March 16. Seeding was half finished at the close of the 

 month and beginning in the central counties. Winter wheat never looked 

 better. Rye, grasses, clover, alfalfa and fruits were in very good condi- 

 tion. Very little winter-killing was reported. 



About 6 p. m. of the 15th a tornado occurred at Toronto, Iowa, causing 

 damage to buildings estimated at $2,000. About 3:30 p. m. of that date a 

 small tornado moved from southwest to northeast between Des Moines 

 and Fort Des Moines, damaging residences, barns and out-buildings about 

 $3,000. 



Sleet globules falling at Oskaloosa on the morning of the 4th had a 

 pinkish tint due to dust particles washed from the air by the raindrops 

 before they became frozen. Microscopic examination of the dust indicated 

 that it was of Rocky Mountain origin, having been transported by a large 

 general storm that passed eastward over the state on the 3d-4th. 



Pressure. The mean pressure (reduced to sea level) for the State was 

 30.17 inches. The highest recorded was 30.80 inches, at Charles City, on 

 the 21st; and the lowest was 29.47 inches, at Sioux City, on the 14th. The 

 monthly range was 1.33 inches. 



Temperature. The mean temperature for the State, as shown by the 

 records of 103 stations, was 37.5°, or 4.2° higher than the normal. By 

 divisions, three tiers of counties to the division, the means were as follows: 

 Northern, 34.7°, or 4.3° higher than the normal; Central, 37.6°; or 4.0' 

 higher than the normal; Southern, 40.2°, or 4.3° higher than the normal. 

 The highest monthly mean was 43.0°, at Keokuk, and the lowest monthly 

 mean was 30.6°, at Sibley. The highest temperature reported was 78°, 

 at Thurman, on the 19th. The lowest temperature reported was — 11°, at 

 Inwood on the 1st. 



