TENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART I 13 



The greatest daily range was 42°, at Decorah, Winneshiek county. The 

 average of the greatest daily ranges was 31°. 



Pkecipitatiox. — The average precipitation for the State, as shown by 

 the records of 126 stations, was 4.77 inches, which is 0.33 inch above 

 the normal. By sections the averages were as follows: Northern section, 

 4.08 inches, which is 0.20 inch below the normal; Central section, 4.25 

 inches, which is 0.26 inch below the normal; Southern section 5.99, 

 which is 1.45 inches above the normal. The greatest amount, 12.20 inches, 

 occurred at Mount Ayr, Ringgold county, and the least, 1.20 inches, at 

 Waterloo, Black Hawk county. The greatest amount in twenty-four 

 hours, 6.50 inches, occurred at Allerton, Wayne county, on the 6th. 

 Measurable precipitation occurred on an average of 10 days. 



Sunshine and Cloudiness. — The average number of clear days was 15; 

 partly cloudy, 8; cloudy, 8. The duration of sunshine was below the nor- 

 mal, the percentage of the possible amount being SO at Charles City; 63 

 at Davenport; 63 at Des Moines; 65 at Dubuque; 64 at Keokuk, and 55 

 at Sioux City. 



Wind. — Southwest winds prevailed. The highest velocity reported was 

 38 miles per hour from the north, at Sioux City, Woodbury county, on 

 the 30th. 



ToRN.vDO IN Cherokee County. 



Soon after 6 P. M., of Sunday, July 11th, a black, threatening, fun- 

 nel-shaped cloud was observed several miles west of Washta that proved 

 to be a small but vigorous tornado. The first farm struck by the storm 

 was the Kerney Wise place, about two miles west of town, where the trees 

 of a thick grove on each side of the house were broken off, but no damage 

 was done to the building. It then swept in an east-southeast direction 

 for forty rods where the one and a half story house of Elijah Crum was 

 blown six rods to the southeast, turned bottom side up and smashed be- 

 yond repair. The barn, which contained several horses, was completely 

 torn to pieces and scattered over the surrounding fields. Only one of 

 the horses was hurt and that one but slightly. The foundation was all 

 that remained of the large hog house; and the corn crib, recently built, 

 was moved several feet and badly damaged. Near by observes at this 

 point saw two funnel-shaped clouds, but only one of them reached the 

 earth. The storm track was about four rods wide at the Wise farm, but 

 varied from two to four rods wide as it passed through a corn field be- 

 tween the Crum and the Little Sioux river. The storm crossed the river 

 below the S. Lyman place at nearly right angles to the river, taking 

 up a large amount of water as it went over, and then raised up, dipping 

 down again about six miles southeast of Washta, where it destroyed the 

 barns and outbuildings on the S. Cipperly place, the R. E. Knapp place, 

 occupied by Herbert Hind, and the Henry Ashton place. The storm track 

 was here about twenty rods wide, and two miles in length. Mr. H. L. 

 Felter, co-operative observer at Washta, who kindly furnished the in- 

 formation for this report, says that there was very little wind except 

 quite near the tornado; that there was about .05 inch of rain preceding 

 the storm and that the only thunder heard was at a distance and thirty 



