162 



NOTES OF THE WEATHEE— FEBRUARY, 1866. 



FROM THK SiMITHSONIAIV INSTITUTION. 



The most interesting feature of the meteorology of February was the intense 

 cold of the 15th in the western States, being the lowest temperature of the 

 winter west of Pennsylvania. It was accompanied by a severe wind, the in- 

 fluence of which was felt to the Atlantic coast. 



St. John, Neio Brunswiclc. — Eight inches of snow fell during Febiuary ; the 

 average of the month for sixteen years is 12.9 inches. The rain-fall was un- 

 usually large ; there is nothing on record for February nearly equal to it. 

 Another peculiarity was tlie short time in which it fell. The amount for the 

 month was 6.99 inches. The average since 1850, this month included, is 2.61 

 inches. 



Gardiner, Maine. — In the month of February the therrnometer was below 

 zero on seven nights ; the river was frozen twenty-eight days ; eleven and a 

 half inches of snow fell, and there were twenty-three days of sleighing. The 

 mean temperature of February for thirty years is 20.437° ; the mean moistiare 

 of the mouth for twenty-eight years is 3.269 inches. The moisture of the 

 present month is greater than that of any other February for twenty-eight years, 

 except 1853, when it was 9.467, and 1843 when it was 5.676. 



Lisbon, Maine. — February 28. — Snow all gone in the roads, but little in the 

 fields. 



Wehster, Maine. — February 25. — The rain yesterday and last night washed 

 away nearly all that was left of the snow, except the remnants of deep drifts. 



Claremont, New Hampshire. — A heavy thaw occurred on the 23d and 24th 

 of February, which cleared the remaining ice out of Sugar river and broke up 

 the ice in the Connecticut. The ground being frozen hard, all the rain as well 

 as melted snow ran directly into the streams. On the Connecticut river, in 

 this neighborhood, two bridges were carried away, and two more below them 

 damaged. Many sheep and cattle were lost by unexpected setting back of the 

 water. • The damage was caused by the very strong ice forming dams at bends 

 of the river, and against islands, thus raising the river in particular places many 

 feet higher than it would have been otherwise. 



Skelburne, New Hampshire. — February 25. — Androscoggin fiver broken up 

 in places. 



Stratford, New Hampshire. — February 28. — A little more water in the 

 streams ; mills doing more business ; wells and springs low yet ; the ground 

 frozen so hard that water stands on the surface and forms a great quantity of 

 ice in low and wet places. 



Randolph, Vermont. — February 15. — Eight inches of snow fell yesterday 

 afternoon and last night. 20th, red crossbill seen. 22d, sap starts from sugar 

 maples. 24th, thawed all last night and rained to-day from 1 p. m. to 10 p. m. 

 25th, water rose last night one foot above high-water mark, as observed by a 

 trustworthy person. Ice piled up so as to prevent passing on the highway, 

 eight feet high in some places. Water had fallen about one foot at 7 this 

 morning ; many bridges were swept away. Twenty inches of snow fell during 

 the month. 



Brandon, Vermont. — February 24. — Brandon river the highest known for 

 many years. 28th, there were fifteen days of good sleighing this month. 



hunenbwrg, Vermont. — February 24. — Thaw continues ; sleighing spoiled ; 

 raining hard in the afternoon ; streams rising rapidly. 25th, much bare ground; 

 streams very high ; ice carried out of the Connecticut river from head of Fifteen- 



