FOURTEENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART XI. 809 



the normal, the percentage of the possible amount being 69 at Charles 

 City; 65 at Davenport; 70 at Des Moines; 60 at Dubuque; 62 at Keokuk; 

 and 68 at Sioux City. 



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

 at the rate of 42 miles an hour from the northwest, at Sioux City, Wood- 

 bury County, on the 20th. 



OCTOBER. 



The principal features of the month were the marked contrasts between 

 the two halves of the month, and the unusually cold weather that pre- 

 vailed on the last two days. The fore part of the month was generally 

 warm and pleasant, although showers were frequent between the 4th 

 and 10th, while the last 15 days were cold and inclement. As a whole 

 the month was colder than usual, and had more than the average pre- 

 cipitation as well as an excess of snowfall. The average temperature, 

 49.2°, is 2.7° below the normal for the State, and many of the monthly 

 minimum temperatures were lower than ever before recorded in October; 

 the lowest being 2° below zero at Inwood on the 30th. 



The average precipitation for the State was 0.68 inch more than the 

 normal, but the departures were generally small except over the south- 

 central counties where the monthly precipitation ranged from four to 

 more than seven inches. The first snow of the season occurred on the 

 19th, and on several other days thereafter there were falls in some parts 

 of the State; the greatest amounts occurring on the 28th and 29th. 



No general storms of importance were reported, hut a very severe hail 

 storm of local character occurred in the vicinity of Mount Ayr, Ringgold 

 County, on the 9th. Some of the hail stones were as large as walnuts 

 and many windows were broken. 



As a whole, the month was favorable to agricultural interests. The 

 rains were beneficial to grass and fall grains and facilitated plowing. 

 Corn husking began between the 15th and 23d, and by the close of the 

 month much of the crop was in the crib. 



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

 by the records of 108 stations, was 49.2°, or 2.7° lower than the normal 

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

 ern, 47.1°, or 3.0° lower than the normal; Central, 49.4°, or 2.4° lower than 

 the normal; Southern, 51.2°, or 2.6° lower than the normal. The highest 

 monthly mean (full record) was 53.6°, at Ottumwa, Wapello County; and 

 the lowest monthly mean, 43.0°, at Ro"l: Rapids, Lyon County. The 

 highest temperature reported was 89°, at 3 stations, on the 9th and 14th; 

 the lowest temperature reported was — 2°, at Inwood, Lyon County, on 

 the 30th. The average monthly maximum was 83°, and the average 

 monthly minimum was 14°. The greatest daily range was 49°, at Alton, 

 Sioux County, and at Inwood, Lyon County. The average of the greatest 

 daily ranges was 38°. 



Precipitation. — The average precipitation for the state, as shown by 

 the records of 115 stations, was 3.03 inches, or 0.68 inch greater than 

 the normal. By sections the averages were as follows: Northern, 2.46 



