NINTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART I 27 
inches, which is .26 inch above the normal. The greatest amount, 3.31 
inches, occurred at Clinton, Clinton county, and the least, .21 inch, at 
Pacific Junction, Mills county. The greatest amount in twenty-four 
hours, 1.90 inches, occurred at Leon, Decatur county, on the 24th. 
The average snowfall, unmelted, was 1.4 inches, the average for 
the three sections being as follows: Northern section, 2.2 inches; Cen- 
tral section, 1.2 inches; Southern section, 0.9 inch. The greatest monthly 
snowfall, 7.0 inches, occurred at Sioux Center, Sioux county, and the 
greatest 24-hour amount, 5.0 inches, at Alton and Sioux Center, Sioux 
county, on the 25th. 
Measurable precipitation occurred on an average of 5 days. 
Sunshine and Cloudiness. — The average number of clear days was 
14; partly cloudy, 7; cloudy, 9. The duration of sunshine was slight- 
ly above the normal, the percentage of the possible amount being 
59 at Charles City; 57 at Davenport; 54 at Des Moines; 47 at Dubuque; 
51 at Keokuk; 55 at Sioux City, and 62 at Omaha, Neb. 
Wind. — Northwest winds prevailed. The highest velocity reported 
was 54 miles per hour from the northwest at Sioux City, Woodbury 
county, on the 30th. 
DECEMBER. 
The month of December was unusually mild and pleasant, there 
being no severe storms and but two or three days of very cold weather. 
The mean temperature w^as, however, 1.6° lower than in December, 
1907, due to low minimum temperatures on a few days. During the 
past 18 years, there have been five Decembers with a higher mean 
temperature and five with a smaller average amount of precipitation. 
The month opened clear and cold with the minimum temperature 
nearly zero in the northern portions of the state on the 1st and 2d 
which was followed by warmer weather until the 5th, when show 
began falling and continued during the night. The storm was general 
in all parts of the state and from one to seven inches of snow fell, 
making it the heaviest snow storm during the month, but, fortunately, 
there was but little wind and the drifting was slight and travel was not 
materially affected. A severe cold wave swept over the state on the 
afternoon and night of the 6th, resulting in temperatures below zero 
in all but the extreme eastern counties. 
From the 8th to the 29th the weather was generally pleasant with 
moderate temperature. The month closed with high northwest winds 
and a cold wave. The corn harvest was finished early in the month 
under the most favorable conditions and there was some plowing done 
in the southeastern counties between the 20th and 30th. Stock was in 
the stalk fields during the entire month and are reported as being in 
excellent condition. As the ground was covered with snow during the 
coldest period, winter grain has not yet been injured. 
Tempekatuke. — The monthly mean temperature for the State, as 
shown by the records of 115 stations, was 27.2°, which is 3.6° above 
the normal for Iowa. By sections the mean temperatures were as 
follows: Northern section, 24.0°, which is 3.1° above the normal; Cen- 
tral section, 27.4°, which is 3.6° above the normal; Southern section, 
30.2V which is 4.0° above the normal. The highest monthly mean was 
