IOWA WEATHER AND CROP REPORT 567 



departures increased uniformly to the south and southeast, the greater 

 departures in the south being due principally to a storm that crossed the 

 State on the 22d, which gave usually high temperatures over all the south- 

 ern division and much of the central, while over a large portion of the 

 northern division the maximum did not go much above freezing. 



The prec-pitation averaged above normal over all divisions, though 

 there was a deficiency over about half of the central and southern divi- 

 sions. Most of the precipitation occurred from the 21st to the 23d, in 

 connection with the storm that crossed the State on the 22d. Over a large 

 area in the northeast portion the precipitation was excessive and as a 

 result the worst flood ever experienced this early in the season occurred. 

 The storm was accompanied by severe thunderstorms generally through- 

 out the State and there was cons'derable loss to stock and buildings from 

 lightning, but the greatest damage was due to floods, which affected most 

 of the northeast section, being especially severe in Allamakee, Clayton, 

 Winneshiek, Fayette, Bremer and Delaware counties. Over practically 

 all of this area unusually heavy rainfall occurred, and, owing to the frozen 

 condition of the ground, all the water soon found its way to the streams, 

 which were soon out of banks, and many miles of roads and railroads were 

 covered with from three to five feet of water. All railroads were damaged 

 by having bridges washed out and road beds injured, but the Chicago, 

 Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad from West Union to Turkey River Junc- 

 tion was hardest hit, and the stage at points along the Turkey River was 

 the highest ever known. Over this strip 24 railroad bridges were washed 

 out and several miles of track was washed away, and it was necessary to 

 suspend railroad traffic for 10 days. No railroad in the flooded area was 

 able to maintain schedules. Many families were forced to vacate their 

 homes and in Independence 10 blocks were flooded. There was also con- 

 siderable damage from ice, as the storm terminated in a glaze storm, and 

 as a result telephone, telegraph and electric wires were put out of com- 

 mission and industries that depended on electric current for power were 

 forced to suspend till the damage could be repaired and many homes had 

 to resort to primitive lighting methods. Many valuable fruit and shade 

 trees were ruined by the weight of the ice. 



The snowfall was the least ever recorded in February since records 

 have been kept, the average for the State being but 1.3 inches, and 

 many stations reported no snow whatever, and there was less snow cover 

 than in any previous February. In the winter wheat section there was 

 practically no snow protection during the entire month, but the injury 

 from freezing was apparently less than could be expected under the cir- 

 cumstances. Clover was injured somewhat in some of the northern 

 counties. 



The weather was generally favorable for the outdoor activities. Roads 

 were unusually good for the season with very little sleighing except in 

 the extreme northern portion, and until the general storm of the 21st-23rd, 

 many roads in the southern and central divisions were dusty. 



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

 30.14 inches. The highest recorded was 30.97 inches, at Sioux City on the 

 28th, and the lowest was 29.24 inches, at Charles City, on the 1st. The 

 monthly range was 1.73 inches. 



