520 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



ature, 113°, at Clarinda, on August 4, equaled the 29-year record 

 for the State. The period, July 25 to August 13, was abnormally 

 dry and hot and caused serious damage to the corn crop, particu- 

 larly over the southwest one-third of the State. The total precipi- 

 tation averaged 32.78 inches, or 0.81 inch above normal. The 

 precipitation was considerably in excess of normal in the north- 

 central counties and markedly deficient in Pottawattamie and 

 adjoining counties. 



The season advanced rapidly in the spring, harvest began about 

 10 days early and conditions were favorable for all crops till the 

 heat and drouth period above mentioned. Though September 

 was cold, dry and unfavorable for fall seeding, a large acreage of 

 wheat was seeded, and favorable conditions in the other fall 

 months caused wheat and rye to make good growth and enter the 

 winter ir; excellent condition. Corn was of excellent quality; 90 

 per cent was husked by December 1 and nearly all by the close of 

 the year. Very little was marketed because of unusually bad 

 roads. Generally favorabfe weather in all seasons, offset in large 

 measure, the labor shortage, due to the war. 



Barometer (reduced to sea level). The average pressure of the atmos- 

 phere for the year was 30.01 inches. The highest pressure was 31.07 inches, 

 at Sioux City, on February 21st. The lowest pressure was 29.02 inches, 

 at Charles City, on February 14th. The range for the State was 2.05 inches. 



Temperature. The mean temperature for the State was 49.2° or 1.8° 

 above the normal. The highest annual mean was 53.1°, at Keokuk, Lee 

 County. The lowest annual mean was 45.0° at Estherville, Emmet County. 

 The highest temperature reported was 113°, at Clarinda, Knoxville and 

 Shenandoah, on August 4th. The range for the State was 149°. 



Precipitation. The average amount of rainfall and melted snow for the 

 year was 32.78 inches, or 0.81 inches more than the normal, and 4.97 inches 

 more than the average for 1917. The greatest amount at any station was 

 47.53 inches, at Nora Springs, Floyd County, and the least amount was 21.44 

 inches, at Omaha, Nebr. The greatest monthly precipitation was 11.98 

 inches, at Gilman, Marshall County, in May. The least amount was a 

 trace, at Harlan in the Central Division in March. The greatest amount 

 in any 24 consecutive hours was 5.37 inches, at Monroe, on June 24th. 

 Measurable precipitation occurred on an average of 92 days, 10 days more 

 than in 1917. 



Snowfall. The average amount of snowfall was 33.6 inches. The 

 greatest .amount reported from any station was 55.5 inches at Lacona, 

 Warren County, and the least amount was 17.8 inches at Rock Rapids, 

 Lyon County. The greatest monthly snowfall was 27.8 inches at Le 

 Claire, Scott County, in January. 



Wind. The prevailing direction of the wind was southwest. The 

 highest velocity reported was 60 miles an hour from the west at Sioux 

 City. Woodbury County, on May 9th. 



