45 
DECEMBER, 1866. 4 
The notes of the weather for December are principally occupied with the great storm of 
the 26th—28th, which resembled the storm of January 6, 1856. A snow-storm also prevailed 
on the 15th-17th, extending from the northeast coast to Nebraska and into the sou:hern 
States. The principal fall of saow in the month, west of Ohio, was during this storm. 
Wolfville, Nova Scotia. —Two and a half inches of snow fe!l during the night of the 27th. 
Halifax, N. S.—The Newfoundland telegraph lines were prostrated for many miles by the 
terrible gale of Wednesday, December 26. A fearful gale here a Thursday night threw 
down the telegraph lines and washed the railway embankments away. Several vessels were 
injured at the wharves. There have been no arrivals here now (December 9) for two 
days.—Newspuper telegram. 
St. Anne, Canada East, (long. 70° on the south shore of the St. Lawrence. )—Slight snow 
beginning in the night of the 26th, and ending at 11} 4. m., the 27th. Heavy snow trom 2 
a.m. to 1} a,m.on the 28th. Snow fell in the night of the 28th to noon of the 29th; ten 
and a half inches in all. 
Montreal, Canada.—December 29.—There has been a heavy snow-storm during the last 
two days, the wind blowing like a hurricane. The drifts are several feet high, and the 
trains are delayed. The river has not been as free from ice for twelve years as at present.— 
Newspaper telegram. 
Toronto, Cunada.—December 28.—The snow is three feet deep on a level west of Strat- 
ford.— Newspaper telegram. 
Cornish, Maine.—Snow from 8 a.m. on the 27th to 7.20 a. m. the next day. The baro- 
meter on the morning of the 24th was lower than at any time before since the observer began 
recording it. Fall of snow, ten inches. 
Gardiner, Maine.—Derember 27.—Snow-storm commenced about noon; snow moist, and 
towards night rain ; cleared off at midnight. About six inches of snow and an inch and a 
quarter of rain. 23th.—Another storm of snow began at 6 a. m. and cleared off at 2 p.m., 
only about 14 inch of snow. In looking over the records for more than twenty years, the 
observer found no instance of the barometer being lower than it was this morning. The 
mean temperature of the month was 3.239 above the average of December for thirty-one 
years. Had it not been for the cold of the last three days of the month the mean temperature 
would have been 54° above the average. 
Standish, Muine.—December 23.—Four and a half inches of snow fell yesterday and to-day. 
First sleighing this winter. 
Lishon, Maine.—The gale of the 27th and 28th was very severe here, uprooting and break- 
ing off trees ten inches in diameter. Very good sleighing; the first of the season. 
Antrim, N. H.—The fourth snow of ihe season was on the 27th, commencing about7 a. m., 
continuing till after9 p.m. The wind blew very furiously during the night, and continued 
to do so for several hours after sunrise on the 28th. This is thought to be the heaviest storm 
that has occurred for severai years. Coming down damp, it adhered to the trees, bending 
their bsanches to the ground, ‘so that many of them had to be cut away in order to clear the 
public road. 
Concord, N. H.—December 27.—An easterly gale prevailed all day, accompanied by soft 
snow, which began to fall early in the morning, or during the night previous, and lasted till 
in the night of the 27th. It blew with the greatest vehemence about 8 p. m., when, also, the 
snow was thethickest. The sleighing has never been better. 
Claremont, N. H.—On the night of the 27th and morning of the 28th the barometer was 
lower than for many years before. Twelve inches of snow fell. 
Lunenburg, Vermont.—There is no sleighing at the close of the month, which is unusual. 
What snow there has been has blown in heaps, and more than half of the way the roads are 
bare. The ground is frozen quite hard, and ice on ponds and rivers is about ten inches thick. 
Wilmington, Vermont.—Suow began to fall on the morning of the 27th. The storm con- 
tinued all day and through the following night. It was-anold-ftashioned northeaster. During 
the 28th and 29th the wind blew violently from the west. The snow was thrown into drifts, 
and nearly all the highways were rendered impassable, and kept so for several days. Such 
a storm has not been known in this vicinity for more than twenty years. Snow fell to the 
depth of about twenty-five inches. 
Barnet, Vermont.—About ten inches of snow fell during December; at the end of the 
month not more than two inches remained, not enough for sleighing, and there have 
been but a few days that sleighs have been used as yet this winter. The ponds and ground 
are frozen quite deep. During the storm on the 27th and 28th a foot and a half of snow fell 
fifty or sixty miles below, and only three inches here. 
Georgetown, Mass.—The only tall of snow sufficient for measurement was that of the 16th 
and 17th. The severest rain storm of the month was on the 27th, Rain fell with scarcely 
any intermission till near night. 
Richmond, Mass.—December 27.—A heavy snow commenced at 3 a. m., from the south- 
east. At4p.m. the wind changed to northwest, and the snow was driven furiously into 
drifts. The storm and blow continued until the 29th. Highways were universally blocked 
with snow, and railroad travel was suspended for two days. 
Kingston, Mass—December 27.—A furious storm of wind and rain. 28th.—Two inches 
of snow fell from 11 o’clock last night to 4 this morning. 
