FOURTEENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART XI. 805 



Warren County, and the least, 0.74 inch, at Alta (near), Buena Vista 

 County. The greatest amount in any 24 consecutive hours, 5.25 inches, 

 occurred at Grinnell, Poweshiek County, on the 7th. Measurable pre- 

 cipitation occurred on an average of 7 days. 



Sunshine and Cloudiness. — The average number of clear days was 

 19; partly cloudy, 8; cloudy, 3. I'he duration of sunshine was much 

 above the normal, the percentage of the possible amount being 84 at 

 Charles City; 79 at Davenport; 81 at Des Moines; 79 at Dubuque; 78 

 at Keokuk; and 81 at Sioux City. 



Wind. — Southwest winds prevailed. The highest velocity reported was 

 at the rate of 49 miles an hour from the ea^t, at Sioux City, Woodbury 

 County on the 15th. 



JULY. 



With the exception of 1901 and 1S94, the month was the warmest July 

 since state-wide observations began in 1890; and it was also the driest 

 since 1894. The average temperature was 76.1°, which is 2.7° above the 

 normal, and 0.3° and 6.3° below the mean monthly temperature of July, 

 1894 and 1901, respectively. 



While the precipitation was deficient, the average total rainfall for the 

 state was almost three times as much as in 1894, when the average* was 

 only 0.63 inch. This, together with the fact that during the four months, 

 April to July, inclusive, of this year, there was 6.40 inches more rainfall 

 than was recorded for the same period in 1894, will explain why the 

 present drought has not been as injurious as the one of that year. 



The temperature was generally above the normal except from the lO'th 

 to the 12th, and 19th to 25th inclusive; the 16th, 29th and 30th, being the 

 warmest days, when the maximum readings were up to or above 100° 

 in the southern and nearly up to that mark in the northern counties. All 

 of the precipitation came in the form of showers, which were extremely 

 local and widely scattered except on the 11th and 23d when they were 

 quite general in character. The counties south and east of Polk suf- 

 fered the most from the drought, the average rainfall in that section be- 

 ing only about 0.25° inch and several stations within that area recorded 

 only a trace for the entire month. Over the southwest quarter and 

 practically all of the north half of the state, there was sufficient moisture 

 to keep corn in fine condition, but at the close of the month pastures, 

 potatoes and gardens were in need of rain. In the southeastern counties 

 pastures were brown, corn, was seriously injured and water for stock 

 was getting scarce. The dry, hot weather was, however, favorable for 

 haying, harvesting and threshing, and the hay and grain crop were se- 

 cured in good condition. 



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

 by the records of 105 stations, was 76.1°, or 2.7° higher than the normal 

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

 ern, 73.5°, or 1.4° higher than the normal; Central, 76.6°, or 2.9° higher 

 than the normal; Southern 76.1°, or 2.7° higher than the normal. The 

 highest monthly moan was 80.1", at Northl>oro, Page County; and the 



