TENTH ANNUA.L YEAR BOOK— PART I 23 



CLIMATE AND CROP REVIEW 



Crop Sicasox of 1909. 



From a climatic standpoint, 1909, A^as, in many respects, a jear of 

 extremes and gave many adverse conditions to the agriculturist, especially 

 during the planting, grov,ing and harvesting season. 



During January, the temperature and precipitation v.ere above the 

 normal, although seasonable temperature prevailed during the first half 

 and the last three days of the Month. The coldest day was the 6th, when 

 the minimum temperature ranged from 10° below zero in the southern coun- 

 ties to 25° below zero in several of the northern counties. From the 13th to 

 the 28th the weather was unseasonably warm, especially on the 23d, when 

 the highest temperature ever recorded in January occurred at several 

 stations in the foulheastern pait of the State. There v^as considerably 

 more precipitation than normal, notwithstanding the fact that but little 

 moisture fell prior to the 28th. Light rain began on the 28th, increasing 

 to heavy rain in the evening, and turning to snow during the night. The 

 storm was attended by extremely high northwest winds, which continued 

 from the night of the 28th to the morning of the 30th, making it one of 

 the worst blizzards experienced in this section for many years. The high 

 winds caused the snow to drift badly, and blew down hundreds of wind- 

 mills and thousands of telegraph and telephone poles. All street car and 

 railroad train service was practically abandoned, and many head of live 

 stock perished from cold and exposure. The storm was so fierce that live 

 stock would not face the wind and flying snow to seek shelter. The max- 

 imum velocity of the wind, during the storm, ranged from 31 miles an 

 hour at Dubuque to 72 miles per hour at Sioux City, and was probably 

 higher on the prairies. 



February was much warmer than usual, except over the northwestern 

 counties, where the temperature was below zero on several days, and the 

 monthly minimum ranged from 18° to 26° below zero; but over the larger 

 part of the State the month was very mild, many stations reporting a 

 monthly minimum temperature above zero. It was the first time in 27 

 years that sub-zero temperatures were not recorded during February at 

 Des iloines and Dubuque. The worst storm of the month was on the 

 9th, v.'hen the second severe blizzard of the winter occurred. This storm 

 was especially severe in the northv/estern counties, where the snowfall 

 was heavy and the wind velocity was over 50 miles an hour. The snow 

 drifted badly and caused a complete suspension of all railroad and street 

 car traffic. Many deep snow drifts, caused by the storm, were still visible 

 in the northern counties at the close of the month. Another storm with 

 blizzard characteristics occurred on the 14th, but was not heavy enough 

 to cause much damage except to again fill up the cuts that had been 

 shoveled through the drifts caused by the previous storm. The alter- 

 nating thav.ing and freezing weather was not favorable to fall grains, 

 f^lover and alfalfa. 



