METEOROLOGY. 305 



S formed on the 22d, at daylight. The effect of the rains and snows 

 !was sensibly demonstrated in the Sacramento river, both quanti- 

 'tatively and thermometrically. On the 17th, it rose suddenly ten 

 finches, and fell again immediately to low water mark ; its temperature 

 • declining 12° lower than that of the previous month. The temperature 

 I of well water fell to 57°. On the last day of the month the leaves of 

 the willow began to fall. 



November. — Although the readings of the barometer were not much 

 I below the average, more or less stormy weather prevailed over the 

 greater part of the State. In the south, the setting in of the rains 

 was attended by disasters of a somewhat novel character. A shower 

 of sand swept over a portion of Los Angeles county, completely de- 

 stroying the grass on the pasture lands About the same period, 

 severe gales prevailed at Humboldt Bay. The mornings of the 27th 

 and 30th were unusually cold for the season. The rains of the month 

 did not make much impression on the river, further than a rise of 

 about 9 inches ; its temperature was 46°, while that of well water was 

 59°. The temperature of the Artesian well, at 73 feet, where it was 

 discontinued, stood at 58°. 50. The fall of leaf of the fig, apple, pear, 

 and cotton-wood tree occurred on the 1st, 5th, and 30th dates of the 

 month respectively. 



December. — The month was rendered remarkable for the unprece- 

 dented })ersistence of continuous cold weather and the number of cloudy 

 days — much beyond the average of the three previous years. The 

 barometer maintained an unusually high range in consequence of the 

 prevalence of northerly winds. The readings of its extraordinary 

 maxima were made on the evening of the 19th and morning of the 

 20th, while the wind was fresh from the N.NW., and the temperature 

 ranged from 30° to 40°. Its diurnal mean fell only five times below 

 30 inches. The minimum was registered on the 29t.h at 9 p. m., pre- 

 ceding a SE. storm which was general throughout the State. On the 

 same day it snowed at San Francisco, and about the same period the 

 Coast range of mountains presented the unusual appearance of being 

 covered with snow. The river was not much affected by the rains of 

 the month ; its temperature read 41°. 



20 s 



