518 IOWA DEPARTMEXT OF AGRICULTURE 



Rivers. — Heavy rains in the Davenport district on the 20th caused tht. 

 flooding of creeks and smaller streams. Continued mild weather an<. 

 further heavy rain on the 26th resulted in rapidly rising stages In tlw. 

 Mississippi, from Le Claire to Muscatine, and the breaking up of the io^ 

 at Davenport on the night of the 24th-25th. At that place the ice becam«» 

 gorged below the city, causing a stage of 14.2 feet on the 25th which re- 

 sulted in the flooding of cellars along the river front with seep water. 



Miscellaneous Phenomena. — Thunderstorms occurred over the south- 

 eastern counties on the 1st, 20th, 21st and 29th. Sleet occurred on the 

 1st, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 18th, 19th, 20th, 21st, 24th, 25th, 26th, 27th., 

 28th, 29th, 30th and 31st. Ice harvest began in the larger streams about 

 the 17th, but was not completed owing to rains and mild weather. 



Severe Cold Wave of January 12th-14th, 1916, at Dubuque. — By J. H. 

 Spencer, Local Forecaster. This cold wave was the severest of the winter 

 to date, and one of the severest in years. Temperature at Dubuque fell 

 49° during the 24 hours ending at 7 a. m. of the 13th, 22° below zerK 

 being recorded at that hour. The maximum of the 13th was 12° belan' 

 zero. During the night of the 13th-14th the temperature remained nearer 

 stationary at 15° below zero, but 17° below was recorded at 8:30 a. m. o« 

 the 14th. 



On the afternoon and evening of the 12th a blinding snow storaa 

 occurred, accompanied by high winds and rapidly falling temperature 

 These conditions caused a partial tieup of local street railway traffic 

 and considerable delay in trains on all the railroads of this section. On the 

 13th railroad traffic was much interfered with, due to the extreme cold, 

 and some trains were many hours late. On the whole, however, condi- 

 tions were not bad, and losses were small. 



Telegraph and telephone companies experienced very little trouble 

 in this immediate section, but between Freeport, 111., and Chicago, wires 

 were taken down by sleet on the night of the 12th. 



Warnings were given well in advance oif the cold wave, and werm 

 generally heeded. Railroads, express companies, business houses, etc, 

 prepared for the severe cold, perishable shipments were refuaad csfl 

 losses were reduced to a minimum. 



