ELEVENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK -PART I 11 



main track of the storm. Some thunder and lightning accompanied the 

 storm and it was preceded by the typical roar of a tornado. No one was 

 Injured and the damage done was estimated to be less than $5,000.00. 



MAY. 



The weather was abnormally cold, and except over the extreme south- 

 ern counties was unusually dry. The temperature was uniformally low, 

 there being only four or five days during the month when the daily mean 

 was above the normal and on those days the excess was very slight. There 

 are very few, if any cases on record in the State where the monthly maxi- 

 mum temperatures for May were as low as during the past month. Freez- 

 ing temperature occurred on one or more days in nearly all parts of the 

 State but as practically all the fruit was killed during the April freeze, 

 there was little damage done. 



The rainfall was well distributed throughout the month but the monthly, 

 weekly and daily amounts were small and below the normal for May ex- 

 cept in the southern counties where there was an excess during the week 

 from the 15th to the 21st inclusive, which brought the monthly amounts 

 for that district, slightly above the normal. There were less than the 

 usual number of thunderstorms and wind-squalls. 



Owing to poor seed and continuous cold weather much of the corn 

 failed to germinate and over 50 per cent of the corn acreage was planted 

 the second and in many fields the third time, but with all the extra work 

 there will not be over 65 to 75 per cent of an average stand; cut and wire 

 worms were very active, especially on sod ground and the damage wrought 

 by these insects has aided in cutting down the stand. The cold weather 

 also prevented the normal growth of all vegetation and the drouthy condi- 

 tions over the larger part of the State has seriously reduced the prospects 

 of an average hay crop. Pasturage is short but the grass is of better qual- 

 ity than usual at the end of May. Small grains have made steady but slow 

 improvement and are generally in good condition. 



The shade and fruit trees that lost their foliage by the severe freeze 

 in April have put forth new leaves and at the end of the month are about 

 as far advanced as they were on April 15th. 



The near approach of Halley's Comet to the earth on the 18th caused no 

 unusual meteorological phenomena. 



Temperatuee. — The monthly mean temperature for the State, as shown 

 by records of 115 stations, was 55.4°, which is 4.7° below the normal for 

 Iowa. By sections the mean temperatures were as follows: Northern sec- 

 tion, 54.1°, which is 4.4° below the normal; Central section 55.8°, which 

 is 4.4° below the normal; Southern section 56.4°, which is 5.2° below the 

 normal. The highest monthly mean was 59.0°, at Keokuk, Lee county, 

 Ottumwa, Wapello county, and Grinnell, Poweshiek county, and the low- 

 est monthly mean 52. 0°, at Sibley, Osceola county. The highest tempera- 

 ture reported was 89°, at Mt. Pleasant, Henry county, on the 21st; the 

 lowest temperature reported was 18°, at Washta, Cherokee county, on the 

 3d. The average monthly maximum was 81°, and the average monthly 



