192 TENTH ANNUAL REPORT OF 



elusive, for the express purpose of testing the regularity of the ebh 

 and flow of the au'ial ocean, it is ascertained that the mean monthly 

 range between the sunrise and the 9^ a. m. readings, amounted to 

 1.07 inch plufi, in favor of the latter hour ; whereas, betv/een the 

 3 p. m. and the 9| p. m. readings, the mean monthly range was only 

 0.46 inch plus, in favor of the last hour. These observations v/ill be 

 continued for six months longer, in order to determine whether the 

 fluctuations of atmospheric pressure occur as regularly in the same 

 ratio and degree during the rainy season. The instruments employed 

 were all placed in the open air on the north side of the lower story of a 

 brick building, in a sheltered projection, and protected against the 

 eff'ect of either direct or reflected insolation, as well as against noc- 

 turnal radiation. In consequence of the care exercised in this re- 

 spect, the figures of the thermometer ranged generally lower during 

 the summer than those of other observers in the city. It is necessary 

 to add, before proceeding to the special remarks for each year, that, 

 according to recent observations by the Aneroid barometer, the altitude 

 of the city may be put down at thirty-nine feet above tide-level. The 

 latitude is 38° 34' 42" north, and the longitude 121° 40' 05" west. 



REMARKS FOR 1853. 



With the exception of the winter of 1849-'50, which, according to 

 the representations of those who then resided here, was a season of al- 

 most continual rain-storms, that of 1852-'53 ranks thus far as the most 

 notable for its high winds and heavy rains. The high northwest 

 wind which set in a few days after the great fire in November, 1852, 

 was succeeded by deluging rains, accompanied with strong wind from 

 the southeast. The Sacramento river, which drains about 15,000 

 square miles before reaching the city, rose above its natural banks 

 higher than was ever before known, converting the streets of Sacra- 

 mento into flowing streams and bottomless quagmires. On the 1st of 

 January the city was totally submerged. Dense fogs prevailed during 

 the greater part of the days of the 3d, 4th, 13th, 14th, 17th, 18th, 

 19th, 20th, 21st, and 22d, which, in connexion with the predomi- 

 nance of southerly winds and the frequent fall of rain, caused a de- 

 gree of humidity amounting almost constantly to saturation. Feb- 

 ruary was comparatively a dry month. On the 5th the streets of 

 Sacramento began to be passable, and in many points manifested in- 

 dications of desiccation ; while the river fell steadily, notwithstand- 

 ing the rains towards the latter part of the month. On the night of 

 the 22d there was a rain-storm from the southeast ; after which date 

 it rained more or less until the 25th, when it blew a gale from the 

 southeast, with heavy rain at night. By the 6th of March the Sa- 

 cramento river had fallen unusually low for the season, and the streets 

 of the city, thus thoroughly drained, were drying up rapidly under 

 the influence of a hot sun — the thermometer at 3 p. m. reading 75°. 

 On the 8th heavy rains commenced falling again, and the weather 

 continued variable to the end of the month. Nothing worthy of note 

 occurred at the date of the equinox ; but on the 28th, one of the 

 heaviest rains ever measured here was found to have fallen, amount- 

 ing to about five inches. On the following day the Sacramento river 



