124 Kansas Academy of science. 



METEOKOLOGICAL SUMMARY FOR THE YEAR 1884. 



PREPARED BY PROF. F. H. SNOW, OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS, FROM OBSERVA- 

 TIONS TAKEN AT LAWRENCE. 



The most notable features of the year 1884 were the low mean temperatures of the 

 spring, summer and winter months ; the high mean temperature of the autumn months ; 

 the very large rainfall, which came within half an inch of the extraordinary precipita- 

 tion of the year 1876; the unusual percentage of cloudiness; the low velocity of the 

 wind ; the decided preponderance of south winds over north winds ; and the increased 

 percentage of atmospheric humidity. 



TEMPERATURE. 



Mean temperature of the year, 51.30°, which is 2.11° below the mean of the sixteen 

 preceding years. The highest temperature was 98°, on July 8th; the lowest was 21.5° 

 below zero, on the 5th of January, giving a range for the year of 119.5°. Mean at 7 A. m., 

 45.69°; at 2 p. M., 59.40°; at 9 p. m., 50.04°. 



Mean temperature of the winter months, 24.19°, which is 5.71° below the average 

 winter temperature; of the spring, 51.41°, which is 2.41°, below the average; of the 

 summer, 73.05°, which is 3.05° below the average ; of the autumn, 56.59°, which is 3.01° 

 above the average. 



The coldest month of the year was January, with mean temperature 20.99°; the 

 coldest week was January 1st to 7th, mean temperature, .07° below zero ; the coldest day 

 was January 5th, mean temperature, 12° below zero. The mercury fell below zero four- 

 teen times, of which seven were in January, one in February, and six in December. 



The warmest month was July, with mean temperature 76.93° ; the warmest week 

 was July 20th to 26th, mean 79.66° ; the warmest day was July 8th, mean 86.87°. The 

 mercury reached or exceeded 90° on 20 days, (one less than half the average number,) 

 viz. : two in June, ten in July, three in August, and five in September. 



The last hoar frost of spring was on April 24th ; the first hoar frost of autumn was 

 on October 8th ; giving an interval of 167 days, or nearly six months, entirely without 

 frost. The average interval is 154 days. 



The last severe frost of spring was on April 8th ; the first severe frost of autumn was 

 on the 23d of October ; giving an interval of 198 days, or nearly seven months, without 

 severe frost. The average interval is 199 days. No frost during the year caused damage 

 to crops of grain and fruit. The low temperatures of January were generally destructive 

 to peach buds. 



RAIN. 



The entire rainfall, including melted snow, was 43.70 inches, which has been but 

 once exceeded on our 17 years' record (in 1876), and is 9.05 inches above the annual 

 average. Either rain or snow, or both, in measurable quantities, fell on 115 days — 11 

 more than the average. On nine other days rain or snow fell in quantity too small for 

 measurement. 



There was no approach to a drouth during the year, the longest interval without 

 rain in the growing season being 13 days, from July 30th to August 12th. 



The number of thunder showers was 35. There was but one light hail storm during 

 the year — on May 17th. 



SNOW. 



The entire depth of snow was 29 inches, which is 8.62 inches above the average. Of 

 this amount, 12 inches fell in January, 2 inches in February, 1 inch in March, 6 inches 

 in April, I2 inches in November, and 60 inches in December. Snow fell on 21 days. 



