TENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK-PART I 17 



highest occurring generally on the 2d, but at many stations the maximum 

 for the month occurred on the 3d, 4th, 6th, 7th or 8th. The coolest period 

 was between the 10th and 20th; the lowest temperature occurred on tlae 

 12th or the 13th, except over the extreme northern and northeastern 

 counties where it occurred on the 28th. During the past 19 years, there 

 have been five cooler Octobers, but there are no records of as low tempera- 

 ture during the first 15 days of October as was registered this month on 

 the 12th and 13th, when the minimum temperatures ranged from 10 to 20 

 degrees over the northern and from 15 to 23 degrees over the southern 

 counties. The ground was frozen to such an extent that potatoes remain- 

 ing in the ground were considerably damaged. Cabbage and turnips were 

 also injured, and over the southern portion of the state, many thousand 

 bushels of apples were frozen on the trees. As there had been no killing 

 frost or freezing temperatures previously to the 12th, much of the vege- 

 tation was still green; and corn, though ripe, was not dry enough to 

 withstand such a severe freeze without injury to its germinating qualities. 

 The leaves fell from the trees soon after the freeze without their usual 

 fall coloring. 



The precipitation was generally below the normal over the northern 

 two-thirds of the state and slightly above the normal over the southern 

 third. There was no rain between the first and seventh, but from the 8th 

 to the 12th the rainfall was general and was mixed with slight snow 

 flurries on the 11th and 12th, which is much earlier than usual for the 

 first snow of the season. From the 13th to the 19th, there were only a 

 few scattered and generally light showers, but from the 20th to the 23d 

 and on the afternoon and evening of the 31st the ranfall was again quite 

 general. Between the 24th and the 30th the weather was generally clear 

 and pleasant. While the rainfall was belOTv normal, there has been 

 enough moisture for the growth of winter wheat and for fall plowing, but 

 not enough to have any material effect on the stage of streams and ponds 

 which are low. Corn husking was begun about the middle of the month 

 but reports indicate that there is still too much moisture in the ears to 

 warrant its being cribbed in large quantities. A great deal of care should 

 be taken in selecting and caring for the seed corn, or next year's crop 

 will show a very poor stand. 



Temperatxjee. — The monthly mean temperature for the state, as shown 

 by the records of 114 stations, was 49.7°, which is 2.2° below the normal 

 for Iowa. By sections the mean temperatures were as follows: Northern 

 section, 47.9°, which is 2.2° belo-w the normal; Central section 49.7°, which 

 is 2.1° below the normal; Southern section 51.5°, which is 2.3° below the 

 normal. The highest monthly mean was 57.8°, at Mt. Plesant, Henry 

 county, and the lowest monthly mean 42.6°, at Elkader, Clayton county. 

 The highest temperature reported was 97°, at Bloomfield, Davis county, 

 on the 2d; the lowest temperature reported was 10°, at Washta, Cherokee 

 county, on the 13th. The average monthly maximum was 85°, and the 

 average monthly minimum was 18°. The greatest daily range was 54°, at 

 Iowa Falls, Hardin county. The average of the greatest daily ranges 

 was 40°. 

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