SEVENTEENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART X 



521 



In thickness from 12 to 17 inches. During the last week of the month 

 the ice in . places broke away from the shore and moved down stream 

 a short distance, but there was no general breakup. 



Miscellaneous Phenomena. — The only thunderstorm of the month was 

 reported on the 22d from four stations in the eastern part of the state. 

 Sleet occurred on the 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 22nd and 26th. Halos, either 

 lunar or solar, were reported on the 1st, 2d, 3d, 4th, 5th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 

 10th, 12th, 14th, loth, 17th, 27th and 29th. Fog occurred on the 1st, 2d, 

 9th, 10th, 11th, 15th, 17th, 20th, 21st and 22d. The first appearance of 

 robins was on the 18th, at Columbus Junction. 



COMPARATIVE DATA FOR THE STATE-PEBRUARY. 



T indicates an amount too small to measure, or less than .00S< inch precipita- 

 tion, and less than .05 inch snowfall. 



MARCH. 



Viewing the state as a whole, the first spring month of 1916 in Iowa 

 was somewhat milder and drier than usual. Over certain portions of 

 the state, however, there were wide departures from these average con- 

 ditions. In the counties bordering on the Mississippi River the month 

 was little i'f any milder than the average March, but thence westward 

 across the state the excess of mean temperature showed a progressive 

 increase until at the Missouri River it amounted to an average ot 

 4° a day. The area of deficient precipitation included all except the 



