ELEVENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK PART I 15 



counties, where the drought has been the most severe. Pastures and po- 

 tatoes were, however, severely damaged by lack of moisture. Pastures 

 were practically bare and early potatoes are nearly a failure. Small 

 streams and shallow wells were dry and the stage of the rivers was lower 

 than for many years. 



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

 by the records of 112 stations, was 74. 5°, which is 1.1° above the normal 

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

 section, 73.1°, which is 1.0° above the normal; Central section, 74.8°, which 

 is 1.1° above the normal; Southern section, 75.6°, which is 1.1° above 

 the normal. The highest monthly mean was 79.2°, at Tipton, Cedar county, 

 and the lowest monthly mean, 69.8°, at Sibley, Osceola County. The 

 highest temperature reported was 108°, at Ridgeway, Winneshiek County, 

 on the 16th; the lowest temperature reported was 43°, at Woodburn, Clarke 

 County, on the 19th. The average of the monthly maxima was 97°, and 

 the average of the monthly minima was 50°. The greatest daily range 

 was 47°, at Woodburn, Clarke County. The average of the greatest daily 

 ranges was 37°. 



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

 the records of 120 stations, was 1.86 inches, which is 2.58' inches below 

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

 1.85 inches, which is 2.43 inches below the normal; Central section, 1.57 

 inches, which is 2.94 inches below the normal; Southern section, 2.16 

 inches, which is 2.38 inches below the normal. The greatest amount, 5.69 

 inches, occurred at Keosauqua, Van Buren County, and the least, 0.12 inch, 

 at New Hampton, Chickasaw County. The greatest amount in twenty- 

 four hours, 3.52 inches, occurred at Keosauqua, Van Buren County, on 

 the 29th. Measurable precipitation occurred on an average of seven days. 



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

 19; partly cloudy, 8; cloudy, 4. The duration of sunshine was slightly 

 above the normal, the percentage of the possible amount being 88 at 

 Charles City; 80 at Davenport; 62 at Des Moines; — at Dubuque; 69 at 

 Keokuk, and 71 at Sioux City. 



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

 54 miles per hour from the south, at Sioux City, Woodbury County, on 

 the 7th. 



AUGUST. 



The droughty conditions which had prevailed since May, continued 

 until the middle of August, when copious and fairly well distributed show- 

 ers occurred; and during the latter half of the month the rainfall was 

 generally above the normal which gave an excess for the month over the 

 northern and central districts. There was a deficiency in the southern 

 district, notwithstanding the fact that the heaviest rainfall in the state 

 was reported from the southwestern counties. At Atlantic, 4.97 inches of 

 rain fell between 2 a. m. and 10 a. m. of the 13th, and 4.03 inches fell 

 between 3 p. m. of the 28th and 7:30 a. m. of the 29th. At Pacific Junction 



