758 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



that period. In fact the month was considerably drier than usual until 

 the 24th, although there were many light showers on the 1st, from the 

 4th to the 6th, 10th, 15th, and 18th to 19th, but from the 24th to the 

 28th rainfall was general and at many stations heavy. Nearly all of the 

 precipitation came in the form of showers, but light snow flurries oc- 

 curred in all parts of the State on the 4th, 5th, 10th or 19th. Much 

 warmer weather prevailed generally during the latter half of the month, 

 and from the 15th to 17th and 25th to 27th it was unusually warm. The 

 month, as a whole, was favorable for all out-door pursuits. The bulk of 

 the small grain was sown by the 18th, and by the end of the month it 

 was up and showed a good stand. Potatoes were planted and a large 

 area was prepared for corn. Fruit trees were in blossom in the southern 

 counties, and shade and forest trees were becoming green in all parts of 

 the State. Owing to a great amount of fall plowing and the favorable 

 conditions prevailing this spring, farm work is farther advanced than 

 usual at the close of April. 



Pressure. — The mean sea-level pressure for the State was 30.00 inches. 

 The highest recorded was 30.53 inches, at Cliarles City, on the 30th; the 

 lowest, 29.44 inches, at Sioux City, on the 17th, and at Charles City on 

 the 18th. 



Temperature. — The monthly mean temperature for the State, as shown 

 by the records of 107 stations, was 48.6°, or 0.1° below the normal. This 

 is the nearest approach to the normal for April ever before recorded 

 since state-wide observations began in 1890. The first half of the month 

 was considerably below the normal, and readings below the freezing point 

 were recorded in all parts of the State on numerous dates. The 8th and 

 9th were, however, the coldest days except in the extreme northwestern 

 counties where the lowest readings were recorded on the 4th or 5th. The 

 lowest temperature reported was 11° at Lake Park on the 8th, Higher 

 temperatures prevailed during the latter half of the month, and the read- 

 ings from the 15th to the 17th and from the 24th to the 27th were de- 

 cidedly above the average; the maximum occurring at most stations on 

 the 16th, 17th or 26th. The highest temperature reported was 88° at four 

 stations. Another cool wave spread over the State during the last three 

 days of the month, which resulted in freezing temperatures in Palo Alto 

 and Pocahontas counties on the 30th. 



Humidity. — The average relative humidity for the State at 7 a. m. was 

 76 per cent, and at 7 p. m. 58 per cent. The mean for the month was 

 67 per cent, or slightly more than the normal. The greatest monthly 

 mean was 76 per cent at Charles City, and the least 64 per cent at 

 Dubuque. 



Precipitation. — The average for the State, 115 stations reporting, was 

 2.52 inches, or 0.34 inch less than the normal. Geographically the dis- 

 tribution was quite uniform, the average amounts for the northern, cen- 

 tral and southern districts being 2.64, 2.60 and 2.32 inches, respectively. 

 The greatest amounts were recorded in Greene and Carroll counties, where 

 the rainfall was heavy on the 27th and 28th. The distribution during the 

 month was uneven. In fact, the first and second decades were unusually 



