IOWA DEPAETMENT OF AGEICULTURE 



CLIMATOLOGY OF THE YEAR 1909 



The mean temperature was very nearly normal, tliere being an excess 

 of only 0.1°; but the average snowfall .was considerably above the normal 

 of the past twenty years. The average snowfall was greater than ever 

 before recorded since state-wide observations began in 1890, and the 

 average precipitation has been exceeded only once, in 1901, during that 

 time. January, February, June and November gave an excess of tem- 

 perature and precipitation. There was a deficiency of both temperature 

 and precipitation during March, May and October, while April, July, Sep- 

 tember and December gave a deficiency of temperature and an excess of 

 precipitation. August gave an excess of temperature and a deficiency of 

 precipitation, and both the temperature and precipitation were below 

 normal in October. The spring and early summer months were cool and 

 wet; but August was hot and dry. The most notable characteristics of 

 the weather during IS 09 were the continuously cold weather during the 

 fore part of the planting season; the excessive rains in June and the first 

 half of July; the droughty conditions in August; the high temperature 

 and excessive precipitation in November; and the severe cold and ab- 

 normally heavy snowfall in December. 



Baeometer. — The mean pressure of the atmosphere for the year 1909 

 was 30.02 inches. The highest observed pressure was 30.71 inches, at 

 Dubuque, Dubuque county, on January 7th, and at Sioux City, Woodbury 

 county, on January 30th. The lowest pressure observed was 29.06 inches, 

 at Davenport, Scott county, on January 29th. The range for the State was 

 1.65 inches. 



Tempekatuke. — The mean temperature for the State was 47.6°, which 

 is 0.1° above the normal for thg State. The highest temperature reported 

 was 103°, at Bloomfield, Davis county, on August 15th, and at Baxter, 

 Jasper county, on August 16th. The lowest temperature reported was 

 — 26°, at Inwood, Lyon county, on February 15th and December 29th. 

 The range for the State was 129°. 



Precipitation. — The average amount of rain and melted snow for the 

 year as shown by complete records of 97 stations, was 40.01 inches, which 

 is 7.36 inches above the normal, and 4.75 Inches above the average 

 amount in 1908. The greatest amount recorded at any station for the 

 year was 53.48 inches, at Peri'y, Dallas county. The least amount recorded 

 was 27.20 inches, at Buckingham, Tama county. The greatest monthly 

 rainfall was 13.30 inches, at Afton, Union county, in June. The least 

 monthly precipitation was a trace, at Fairfield, Jefferson county, in 

 August. The greatest amount in any 24 consecutive hours w^as 6.50 

 inches, at Allerton, Wayne county, on July 6th. The average amount of 

 snowfall was 46.8 inches. The greatest amount of snowfall, unmelted, at 

 any station during the year was 90.8 inches, at Algona, Kossuth county. 

 The greatest monthly snowfall was 32.0 inches, at Perry, Dallas county, 

 and the greatest 24-hour snowfall was 20.0 inches, at Humboldt, Humboldt 

 county, on March 7th. Measurable precipitation occurred on an average 

 of 104 days. 



