NINETEENTH ANNUAL. YEAR BOOK— PART X 565 



ing wheat was covered with this heavy snow blanket. While this is gen- 

 erally believed to be a favorable condition, some adverse opinion has been 

 expressed. If the snow remains porous and does not become converted 

 into an impervious ice sheet by thawing, harm can scarcely result. Fruit 

 buds, though slightly swelled in the south, are believed to be generally 

 safe. Dandelions bloomed in the extreme southeast. Fuel and feed were 

 saved. Livestock subsisted out of doors and was in good condition gen- 

 erally, except hogs which were widely afflicted with influenza, which 

 caused thinness but little mortality. A cold wave preceded by genei-al 

 snow was sweeping southeastward over the State at the close of the 

 month. 



Pressure. The mean pressure (reduced to sea level) for the State 

 was 30.04 inches. The highest recorded was 30.51 inches, at Dubuque, on 

 the 18th and at Sioux City on the 23d, and the lowest was 29.29' inches at 

 Sioux City on the 9th. The monthly range was 1.22 inches. 



Temperature. The mean temperature for the State, as shown by the 

 means of 98 stations, was 32.7°, or 8.8° higher than the normal. By divi- 

 sions, three tiers of counties to the division, the mean temperatures were 

 as follows: Northern, 30.5°, or 9.3° higher than the normal; Central, 32.8°, 

 or 8.7° higher than the normal; Southern, 34.7°, or 8.3° .higher than the 

 normal. The highest monthly mean was 37.8° at Keokuk, and the lowest 

 monthly mean was 28.9° at Postville. The highest temperature reported 

 was 68° at Columbus Junction on the Sth, and the lowest temperature re- 

 ported was — 7°, at Maquoketa, on the 26th, and at Thurman on the 25th, 

 the range for the State being 75°. 



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

 86 per cent, and at 7 p. m. it was 79 per cent. The mean for the month 

 was 82 per cent, or about 2 per cent above normal. The highest monthly 

 mean was 89 per cent at Charles City, and the lowest reported was 78 per 

 cent, at Keokuk and at Omaha, Nebr. 



Preciintation, The average precipitation for the State, as shown by the 

 records of 105 stations, was 1.30 inches, or 0.08 inch more than the normal. 

 By divisions, the averages were as follows: Northern, 1.11 inches, or 

 0.04 inch more than the normal; Central, 1.24 inches, or 0.01 inch less 

 than the normal; Southern, 1.55 inches, or 0.08 inch more than the normal. 

 The greatest amount, 3.30 inches, occurred at Oskaloosa, and the least, 

 0.37 inch at LeMars. The greatest amount in any 24 consecutive hours, 

 1.55 inches, occurred at Oskaloosa, on the 24th. 



8710W. The average snowfall for the state was 5.1 inches, or 1.1 inches 

 below normal. The greatest amount, 16.3 inches, occurred at Columbus 

 Junction, and the least, a trace, at 5 stations. 



Wind. The prevailing direction of the wind was from the northwest. 

 The highest velocity reported was at the rate of 49 miles an hour from 

 the northwest, at Sioux City, on the 31st. 



Sunshine and Cloudiness. The average per cent of the possible amount 

 of sunshine was 38 per cent, or about 10 per cent less than the normal. The 

 per cent of the possible amount at the regular Weather Bureau stations 

 was as follows: Charles City, 23; Davenport, 34; Des Moines, 40; Du- 

 buque, 34; Keokuk, 54; Sioux City, 41; and Omaha, Nebr., 40 per cent. 

 The average number of clear days was 9; partly cloudy, 8; cloudy, 14. 



