756 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



70° even in northern Iowa. At Dubuque the maximum temperature of the 

 15th (70°) is tlie highest recorded at tliat station during the first 15 days 

 of March in the last 20 years. Many evidences of spring were noted at 

 this time; grass began to grow, insects were seen, and the general ap- 

 pearance of migratory birds took place. Most of the ice in rivers and 

 streams disappeared during this period. Some field work on farms was 

 accomplished, and a little gardening was done. Growth of vegetation was 

 checked by a return to cool weather on the 17th. The closing days of 

 the month were marked by cloudy, damp, showery weather; at this time 

 occurred the first rains of the season, and thundershowers were numerous. 

 The moisture was of great benefit, but retarded outdoor work. 



Pkessitre. — The mean sea-level pressure for the State was 30.11 inches; 

 the highest recorded was 30.64 inches, at Sioux City, on the 11th; the 

 lowest recorded was 29.42 inches, at Omaha, Neb., on the 24th. 



Temperature. — The monthly mean for the. State, 108 stations reporting, 

 was 34.7°, or 1.4° higher than the normal. The month was milder than 

 usual over the entire state, the excess of mean temperature being greatest 

 in northwestern Iowa, where it was between T and 3°. Keokuk, with a 

 mean temperature of 39.0°, was the warmest point, and Northwood, a 

 station in Worth county, with a mean of 29.6°, the coldest point. The 

 lowest monthly temperatures at the various stations occurred on the 1st, 

 except in three cases, the lowest temperature reported being — 5°, at 

 Estherville, Emmet county, and at Northwood, Worth county. All the 

 monthly highest temperatures, except that at Keokuk, occurred some time 

 during the warm spell at the middle of the month; the highest tempera- 

 ture reported was 78°, at Lamoni, on the 15th. 



Humidity. — The mean relative humidity for the State was 74 per cent, 

 or practically the normal figure. The average at 7 a. m. was 80 per cent; 

 at 7 p. m., 67 per cent. The monthly averages at the several stations 

 were as follows: Charles City, 82-; Davenport, 77; Des Moines, 71; 

 Dubuque, 76; Keokuk, 76; Sioux City, 70; Omaha, Neb., 70. 



Precipitatiox. — The average for the State, 116 stations reporting, was 

 1.69 inches, or 0.08 inch less than the normal. In northern Iowa there 

 was an average deficiency of two-fifths of an inch, but in central and 

 southern Iowa a slight excess prevailed. The greatest amounts occurred 

 in the extreme eastern part of the state and over a small area in the 

 southwest, where more than 3 inches were reported. The greatest amount 

 was 3.84 inches, at Clinton. The northwestern part of the state was 

 driest, less than an inch occurring in several counties. Lake Park re- 

 ported the least amount, 0.28 inch. There were 3 fairly well defined 

 precipitation periods. Tlie first covered the 5th-10th; the second, the 

 17th-21st; and the last, the closing week. Practically all the precipitation 

 of the first two periods was in the form of snow, while that of the last 

 period was rain. A large percentage of the month's total amount occurred 

 in the last period. Thunder showers were quite numerous at this time, 

 and in a few cases rain fell at an excessively heavy rate. At Davenport 

 on the night of the 28th, 0.75 inch occurred in 20 minutes. The average 

 number of rainy days was 7. 



