TENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK-PART I 15 



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

 the records of 122 stations, was 1.81 inches, which is 2.18 inches below 

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

 3.04 inches, which is 0.48 inch below the normal; Central section, 1.51 

 inches, w^hich is 2.54 inches below the normal; Southern section, 0.87 inch, 

 w-hich is 3.53 inches below the normal. The greatest amount, 8.21 inches, 

 occurred at New Hampton, Chickasaw county, and the least, a trace, at 

 Fairfield, Jefferson county. The greatest amount in twenty-four hours, 

 4.30 inches, occurred at New Hampton, Chickasaw county, on the 9th. 

 Measurable precipitation occurred on an average of five days. 



Sunshine and CLOuniNESS. — The average number of clear days was 21; 

 partly cloudy, 8; cloudy, 2. Duration of sunshine was above the normal, 

 the percentage of the possible amount being 83 at Charles City, 78 at 

 Davenport, 84 at Des Moines, 65 at Dubuque, 84 at Keokuk, and 81 at 

 Sioux City. 



Wind. — South winds prevailed. The highest velocity reported was 36 

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

 the 23d. 



SEPTEMBER. 



The hot and drouthy conditions prevailing at the close of August were 

 broken by lower temperatures on the 1st and copious and general showers 

 on the 2d of September. From the 2d to the 14th showers occurred 

 in some part of the State every day, and were general and the rain- 

 fall heavy between the 12th and 14th. Another period of showery 

 weather prevailed between the 19th and 24th, but the last 'si.x days were 

 generally clear and pleasant, although the night temperatures were quite 

 low. 



The temperatures were below normal from the 1st to the 8th; 14th to 

 16th; 22d to 27th, and on the last day of the month; the lowest occurring 

 on the 27th when the minimum was below the freezing point at several 

 stations in the northern counties. Light frosts occurred on low ground 

 in the extreme northern part of the state on the 1st and 5th, and in all 

 parts of the state on the 23d, 24th and 27th. On the latter date the frost 

 was heavy on low ground over the northern and northeastern counties, 

 but reports indicate that no damage was done to vegetation except in a 

 very few places where some of the tender vines were injured. 



The warmest periods were between the 9th and 13th and from the 

 17th to the 21st, when the maximum temperatures ranged from SO to 87 

 degrees over the northern and from 85 to 94 degrees over the southern 

 districts, the highest occurring generally on the 12th or 13th. The rains 

 during the first half of the month revived the pastures and softened the 

 ground sufficiently to permit fall plowing to be resumed, and excellent 

 progress was made in plowing and seeding fall grains during the re- 

 mainder of the month. The rains came too late, how'ever, to be of much 

 value to the early planted corn, but reports indicate that the rains and 

 the subsequent warm weather were beneficial to the late planted corn, 

 which improved one or two points during the month.. The dry weather 

 during the last six days caused the corn to mature and dry out rapidly, and 



