582 TWENTY-THIRD ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART VIII 



The outstanding feature of the month's weather was a severe drouth 

 that covered practically the entire State. The rainfall average for the 

 State was the same as in 1911, which previous to this June was the driest 

 of record. Light showers occurred at frequent intervals, but they were 

 not sufficient to maintain the normal growth of staple crops. Corn had 

 not advanced to a stage where it could be permanently injured, but the 

 hot weather started the leaves to curl in many fields in the drier sections. 

 Oats suffered most. Much of the crop in the west-central and northwest 

 counties headed too short to be harvested and was grazed off. Barley and 

 spring wheat also were injured. Pastures, hay, truck crops and gardens 

 also suffered greatly on account of the dry weather. Winter wheat, al- 

 falfa and rye were not materially injured. High winds were frequent and 

 considerable damage resulted from this source to standing grain, farm 

 buildings, windmills and trees, but they were all straight blows and no 

 tornadoes are known to have occurred. 



Hailstorms occurred at many places on many dates, but the damage was 

 much less than usual on account of the storms being confined to smaller 

 areas than ordinary. A rather severe storm in Union Township, Kossuth 

 County, on the 5th did considerable damage to crops and killed several 

 hundred chickens, a number of hogs and cattle and two horses. Another 

 hailstorm, of more than ordinary severity, in Cerro Gordo County on the 

 12th caused much damage to crops and broke the glass in greenhouses. 

 In both storms stones of unusual dimensions were reported and heaps of 

 stones remained unmelted for ten hours. 



The month was unusually favorable for all outside work. Building 

 operations were carried on with practically no interruption and at the end 

 of the month most cf the corn crop had been laid by. The general rain the 

 last of the month greatly relieved the drouth, but it came too late to 

 save many gardens, truck crops and berries. Roads were unusually good 

 during the entire month. 



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

 records of 95 statons, was 72.2°, or 3.1° higher than the normal. By 

 divisions, three tiers of counties to the division, the means were as fol- 

 lows: Northern, 70.9°, or 3.3° higher than the normal; Central, 72.6°, or 

 3.3° higher than the normal; Southern, 73.1°, or 2.8° higher than the 

 normal. The highest monthly mean was 75.2°, at Glenwood and Thur- 

 man, and the lowest was 67.3°, at Postville. The highest temperature 

 reported was 104°, at Inwood, on the 23d, and the lowest was 38°, at 

 Decorah on the 1st and Washta on the 3d. The temperature range for 

 the State was 66°. 



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

 29.96 inches. The highest recorded was 30.37 inches, at Sioux City, on 

 the 25th, and the lowest was 29.53 inches, at Sioux City, on the 10th. The 

 monthly range was 0.84 inch. 



Humidity. The average relative humidity for the State at 7 a. m. was 

 74 per cent, and at 7 p. m. was 51 per cent. The mean for the month was 

 62 per cent, or 8 per cent below the normal. The highest monthly mean 

 was 67 per cent, at Dubuque, and the lowest was 58 per cent at Sioux 

 City. 



