109 



NOTES OF THE WEATHER, JANUARY, 1866. 



FROM THE SMITHSOMAN INSTITUTION. 



The meteorology of January, 1866, presents a number of prominent features 

 of unusual interest. Among these is the extraordinary height of the barometer 

 for several days, the maximum occurring on the same day (the 8th) at all the 

 stations, as far as intelligence has been received, from Nova Scotia to the west 

 and soutjiwest. Only a few observers give one precise hour of the maxi- 

 mum, and it probably occurred in all or nearly all cases between the rcgixlar 

 hours of observation. At the time of this high barometer, intense cold prevailed 

 in New England and as far west as towards Ohio This cold does not appear 

 to have come from the west. On the night of the 19th, a remarkable thunder- 

 storm occurred at the west, preceded by a very high temperature, and followed 

 by a very sudden and great depression. This change gave the minimum of 

 the month at the west, and prevailed in a modified form as far east as the reg- 

 isters extend. The time and space allotted to these monthly printed reports 

 allow only a few memoranda of the more interesting features of the month iu 

 the following notes, and these not as systematically arranged as we would de- 

 sire. The table which follows the notes presents a view of the temperature 

 over a large portion of the country at the time of the severe cold at the east, 

 and will be interesting to many observers who have wished to make compar- 

 isons, but have not had so ample materials as this tabic furnishes. 



Wolfoillc, Noca i''cotia. — The highest temperature of the mouth was at 9 

 p. m. on the 20th, 38.^°; at the same hour next evening it was twenty-three 

 degrees lower. The lowest temperature by the minimum thermometer was 

 11-4:*^ below zero in the night of the 6th or morning of the 7th. 



Gardiner, Maine. — The barometer rose to an unusual height on the 8th 

 of January, (30.882 reduced.) The maximum occurred at midnight of the 

 night of the 7th — 8th. Only two or three times has so great a height been re- 

 corded here. The average temperature of the month for thirty years is 18.05°. 

 This year is nearly three and two- thirds degrees colder than the average. There 

 have been eight Januaries in the thirty years as cold or colder. The extreme 

 cold was only 20° below zero, but the continuance of the mercury below zero 

 for four days, from the 5th to the 8th, was remarkable. The severe drought 

 from which the whole of New England is suffering still continues ; the entire 

 moisture of the month has been 1.626 inch ; only three Januaries are recorded 

 where the moisture has been so little. 



Steuben, Maine. — January 11. — To-day is the first day for a week that it 

 has thawed any, even in the sun and out of the wind ; the ground is cracked 

 and the road broken into by cracks. 



Standis/i, Maine. — January 29. — Tn digging a grave found frost iu the 

 ground to the depth of thirty inches. It was on a place that had been bare till 

 within a week. 



West Water i-ille, Maine. — January 7. — This has been the coldest day siuce 

 February 8, 1861. The thermome{er then went down to 29° below zero; to- 

 day 23° belovf . The mean temperature of that day was 2-2.670 below zero ; 

 to-day I 4.67° below. There is but about six inches of snov,^ now, and the ground 

 is frozen about one foot. — 27th. Snow from 10 a. m. of the 25th to 9 a. m. on the 

 27th; the severest storm of the winter thus far; fourteen and a half inches of 

 snow fell. 



Webster, iU«/?2t'.— January 6. — Found the ground frozen about a foot. 



Stratford, New Hamp.sJiire. — The thermometer was below zero on eleven days 

 in this month. From the 5th to the 8th inclusive, it Avas below zero all the 

 time. On the 20th it thawed a little, but on no other day during the month. 



