FIFTEENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART XI 749 



MONTHLY SUMMARIES 



JANUARY. 



A January so pleasant and agreeable as that of 1914 is but rarely ex- 

 perienced in Iowa. The mean temperature averaged 10° higher than 

 usual, the month being the mildest January since 1880; however the latter 

 month averaged about 4° warmer than the current January, and stands 

 as the warmest month of the name in the climatological history of the 

 State. 



The mild and open cliaracter of the month was a subject of widespread 

 comment and discussion, as were the similar conditions that had obtained 

 during the two preceding months; and reference to the records discloses 

 that the present winter season in the State to date (February 1st) is 

 without exception the mildest of record. 



There were no storms during the month that could be classed as at 

 all severe, and the snowfall over much of the State was lighter than 

 usual. The latter did not remain on the ground long, and as a result there 

 was little if any sleighing. The weather conditions of the month were 

 especially favorable for stock, which was out much of the month, thereby 

 effecting a considerable saving in feed. Building operations suffered little 

 interruption because of unfavorable weather conditions. 



Pressure. — The mean sea-level pressure for the State was 29.97 inches; 

 the highest recorded was 30.68 inches, at Sioux City, on the 12th; the 

 lowest recorded was 29.29 inches, at Keokuk, on the 8th. 



Temperature. — The monthly mean for the 'State, 105 stations reporting, 

 was 27.8°, or 9.9° higher than the normal. The month was relatively 

 mildest in the western part of the State, where the average temperature 

 was about 11° higher than the normal. The warmest point, as usual, was 

 Keokuk, where the mean temperature averaged 34.0°, and the coldest 

 point was Northwood, a station near the Minnesota line, the average tem- 

 perature there being 22.2°. In all parts of the State the month was the 

 mildest January since 1880. 



Only a few days in the month were colder than usual for the time of 

 year; at Des Moines there were but 3 such days, viz., the 10th, 12th and 

 25th. The lowest temperature of the month occurred on the morning of 

 the 12th in connection with a sudden cold wave; in the northern part of 

 the State the values were mostly between 5° and 10° below zero, while at 

 many stations in the Southern Section the zero point was not quite 

 reached. The lowest temperature reported was — 10°, at Inwood and Lake 

 Park, stations in northwestern Iowa. On several different days in the 

 month the temperatures were in the fifties in all parts of the State, the 

 highest reported being 64°, at Keokuk, on the 28th. No records for high 

 temperature were broken. 



