AcADEiUY OF Science. 29 



RAIN. 



The entire amount of rain, including melted snow, was 28.87 inches, which is the 

 smallest annual rainfall on our seven years' record, and falls below the average rainfall 

 of the past six years by 5.48 inches. Either rain or snow fell on 99 days, 4 less than the 

 average number. The longest interval without rain during the growing season, March 

 1 to October 1, was 15 days, from July 23 to August 9. The number of thunder showers 

 was 20. The marked deficiency in the rainfall of July and August resulted in great 

 damage to the crops in all parts of Kansas, and produced the only severe and extended 

 drouth since 1860. The amount of excess or deficiency in the rainfall of each month of 

 the year is indicated in the table appended to this report. 



SNOW. 



The entire depth of snow was 43 inches, distributed as follows: January, 72 inches; 

 February, 10 inches ; March, 4 inches; November, 14 inches; December 7-2 inches. The 

 last snow of spring was on April 16; the first autumn snow was on November 17. The 

 annual amount of snow, as given above, is 20.58 inches above (nearly double) the aver- 

 age for the six preceding years. 



FACE OF THE SKY. 



Average cloudiness of the year 45.54 per cent, of the sky, which is only 0.06 per cent, 

 below the average. The number of clear days (less than one-third cloudy) was 155 ; half 

 clear days (between one-third and two thirds cloudy) 108; cloudy (more than two-thirds) 

 102. There were 27 days without a cloud, and 30 days without a trace of sky, August was 

 the clearest month, with a mean cloudiness of 24.95 per cent. March was the cloudiest 

 month, mean cloudiness, 62.27 per cent. The mean cloudiness at 7 A. m. was 50.79 per 

 cent.; at 2 p. M. 48.82 per cent.; at 9 p. m. 37 per cent. 



DIRECTION OF THE WIND. 

 During the year (three observations daily) the wind was from the soutliwest, .335 times; 

 northwest, 224 times; northeast, 190 times; southeast, 142 times; south, 76 times; north, 

 54 times; east, 42 times; west, 8 times; calm, 24 times. The south (including southeast, 

 south and southwest) winds outnumbered the north (including northeast, north and north- 

 west) winds in the ratio of 553 to 468. 



VELOCITY OF THE WIND. 



The number of miles traveled by the wind during the year was 145,865. This gives a 

 mean daily velocity of 399.6 miles, and a mean hourly velocity of 16.62 miles. The po- 

 sition of the anemometer cups at an elevation of 105 feet above the ground, the most ele- 

 vated point for many miles in all directions, secures exposure to the full force of the wind. 

 The maximum velocity attained was 65 miles an hour on September 18. The greatest 

 daily velocity was 1,061 miles on January 3. The strongest winds were in April and 

 November; the lightest were in February and .June. 



BAROMETER. 



Mean height of the barometer cohnnn, 29.121 inches. Mean at 7 A. M., 29.146 inches; 

 at 2 p. M., 29.096 inches; at 9 p. m., 29.121 inches; maximum, 29.845 inches, at 7 A. M., 

 January 24; minimum, 28.267 inches, at 2 P. M., November 22, this being the lowest 

 reading on our record except that of .January 16, 1870, 28.191 inches; yearly range, 1.578 

 inches. The highest monthly mean was in December, 29.235 inches; the lowest was in 

 May, 29.027 inches. Tfie barometer observations are corrected for temperature, but not 

 for elevation, thus affording the means of determining the altitude of our station. 



RELATIVE HUMIDITY 



Mean for the year, 65.52; at 7 A. m., 76.5; at 2 p. m., 49.18; at 9 p. m., 70.87. The 

 dampest month was December, humidity 79.4; the driest month was August, humidity 

 49.02. There were 14 fogs during the years. i 



