8 IOWA DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTURE 



of the 2()th, when more than a foot of snow fell generally, was one of the 

 heaviest March snow storms on record. It was not, however, as injurious 

 to railroad traffic as the storm on the 14th, when all cuts were drifted 

 full of snow and many trains were delayed from 10 to 24 hours, and on 

 some of the branch lines trains were abandoned for one or two days. Ice 

 in the rivers, in the southern half of the state went out between the 

 24th and 28th, but in the extreme northern counties the ice was still 

 intact. All rivers and creeks were rising rapidly at the close of the 

 month, and in the southern counties were out of their banks. No field 

 work was practicable, but fall sown grains were showing up in good con- 

 dition after the disappearance of the heavy snow, which had covered the 

 fields since December 17th. 



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

 by the records of 113 stations, was 24,9°, which is 9.1° below the nor- 

 mal for Iowa. By sections, the mean temperatures were as follows: 

 Northern section, 23.6°, which is 7.6° below the normal; Central 

 section, 24.5°, which is 9.7° below the normal; Southern section, 

 26.6°, which is 10.1° below the normal. The highest monthly mean 

 was 29.8°, at Keokuk, Lee County, and the lowest monthly mean, 21.6°, 

 at Estherville, Emmet County. The highest temperature reported was 

 70°, at Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, on the 30th; the lowest temperature 

 reported was — 19°, at Corning, Adams County, on the 9th. The average 

 monthly maximum was 58°, and the average monthly minimum was 

 — 5°. The greatest daily range was 50°, at Keosauqua, Van Buren County. 

 The average of the greatest daily ranges was 35°. 



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

 the records of 121 stations, was 2.01 inches, which is .09 inch above the 

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

 1.46 inches, which is 0.27 inch below the normal; Central section, 2.30 

 inches, which is 0.32 inch above the normal; Southern section, 2.26 

 inches, which is 0.21 inch above the normal. The greatest amount, 5.25 

 inches, occurred at Earlham, Madison County, and the least, 0.60 inch, 

 at Clear Lake, Cerro Gordo County. The greatest amount in twenty-four 

 hours, 1.59 inches, occurred at Guthrie Center, Guthrie County, on the 

 20th. Measurable precipitation occurred on an average of 7 days. 



Snow. — The average snowfall was 19.1 inches. By sections the averages 

 were as follows: Northern, 12.8 inches; Central, 22.2 inches; Southern, 

 22.4 inches. The greatest monthly amount reported was 52.5 inches at 

 Earlham, Madison County. 



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

 15; partly cloudy, 6; cloudy, 10. The duration of sunshine was above 

 the normal, the percentage of the possible amount being 70 at Charles 

 City; 54 at Davenport; 63 at Des Moines; 59 at Dubuque; 53 at Keokuk, 

 and 59 at Sioux City. 



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

 36 miles per hour from the northwest, at Sioux City, Woodbury County, 

 on the 17th. 



