IOWA WEATHER AND CROP REPORT 585 



few small areas, and thereafter rather general thunderstorms occurred at 

 frequent intervals and at the end of the month there was sufficient mois- 

 ture over the entire State. Nearly all the rains were attended by severe 

 hail, strong winds and destructive lightning and the damage from these 

 sources was unusually heavy. The first hailstorm of a damaging character 

 occurred on the evening of the 5th, starting near the junction of Calhoun, 

 Green and Webster Counties and moving southeastward across Boone 

 County to the southern portion of Story County and the northern portion 

 of Polk County. Many thousand acres of corn were severely damaged and 

 areas covering whole sections were entirely ruined. One township in 

 Story County reported damage ranging from 10 to 85 per cent to 20,000 

 acres and the entire loss in this storm from wind and hail probably ex- 

 ceeded $1,000,000. Another severe hail and windstorm occurred in Bremer 

 and Blackhawk Counties on the 15th that damaged corn and other crops 

 over a large area. On the late afternoon of the 16th a severe hail, wind 

 .and electric storm developed in the northern portion of Green County and 

 moved southeastward to Jasper County. At Paton, Boone, Colfax and 

 Newton tornadic characteristics developed and many buildings were 

 wrecked fruit and shade trees uprooted and cornfields leveled, but the 

 greatest damage came from hail, which entirely destroyed many fields. 

 Floyd and Bremer Counties were visited by a severe wind and hailstorm 

 on the night of the 29th-30th that did much damage to crops and small 

 buildings. The storm apparently originated in Minnesota and moved 

 across Mitchell County into I*loyd and Bremer Counties and increased in 

 severity and disappeared in Chickasaw County. Tornadic characteristics 

 were evident at Colwell, Floyd County, but the principal damage was 

 caused by hail and straight winds. A large number of scattered hail and 

 windstorm occurred over the State that did considerable damage. A de- 

 tailed account will appear in the August report. 



The losses caused by the destructive storms were more than offset by 

 the benefit derived from the copious rainfall and the corn crop generally 

 became excellent in condition, other growing crops greatly revived and 

 pastures and meadows were almost as green as in early spring. The soil 

 was in good condition for plowing and many acres were prepared for 

 winter wheat. Small grain, both in shock and standing, were damaged 

 greatly by the continued wet weather and wind. The apple crop is un- 

 usually heavy and many trees are breaking down under the great load 

 of fruit. 



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

 30.00 inches. The highest pressure recorded was 30.35 inches, at Dubuque, 

 on the 13th, and the lowest was 29.46 inches, at Sioux City, on the 9th. 

 The monthly range was 0.54 inch. 



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

 records of 98 stations, was 71.5°, or 2.6° lower than the normal. By 

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

 lows: Northern, 69.8°, or 2.9° lower than the normal; Central, 71.7°, or 

 2.6° lower than the normal; Southern, 73.0°, or 2.2° lower than the nor- 

 mal. The highest monthly mean was 75.5°, at Keokuk, and the lowest 

 was 67.2°, at Postville. The highest temperature recorded was 98°, at 

 Burlington, on the 9th, and the lowest was 40°, at Estherville, on the 7th. 

 The temperature range for the State was 58°. 



