188 THE CLIMATE OF CALVERT COUNTY 



Attention must be invited first to some important facts revealed by a 

 comparison of the record of mean temperatures for Solomons with the 

 normal temperatures at Baltimore for 88 years, in order that the record 

 be not misinterpreted. For convenience of comparison the mean tem- 

 peratures at Baltimore and Solomons are given below : 



Baltimore, 88 Years, 1817 to 1905. 

 Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May June Jul}- Aug-. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dee. Year 

 34.9 35.8 43.1 54.1 04.0 73.3 77.9 76.1 68.fi 56.6 46.0 37.4 55.0 



Solomons, 14 Years, 1892 to 1905. 

 Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Year 



34.2 as. 8 44.3 53.3 65.1 73.8 78.6 77.7 72.0 60.2 48.7 38.3 56.7 



A glance at these records would lead to the conclusion that Solomons 

 is colder during January and February than Baltimore, and that Febru- 

 ary is a colder month than January. As these results are not in con- 

 formity with the general relations of climate in the region under discus- 

 sion, some doubt might seem to be thrown upon the accuracy of the 

 record for Solomons. The data for Solomons are, however, entirely 

 reliable, but the conclusions drawn from the comparison just made are 

 incorrect because the period included in the means at the two stations is 

 not the same. If the comparison be made between the means at Balti- 

 more and Solomons for the same period from 1892 to 1905, the follow- 

 ing results are obtained : 



Baltimore, 14 Y^ears, 1892 to 1905. 

 Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug-. Sept. Oct- Nov. Dec. Y^ear 



32.3 32.1 43.0 53.0 64.2 73.5 77.2 75.7 68.8 57.3 45.9 35.9 54.8 



Now it is seen that Solomons is warmer than Baltimore in about the 

 proper proportion. Baltimore also shows a February mean lower than 

 for January, an anomaly resulting from the fact that during the past 

 decade temperatures much below the normal have been experienced many 

 times in February, notably in 1895, 1899, 190-4, and 1905. Applying 

 the proper correction to the short period record for Solomons, to reduce 

 it to the equivalent of the Baltimore period of 88 years, the following 

 results are found : "^ 



" A full explanation of the principal upon which the correction is based 

 will be found in the report on the climate of St. Mary's County. 



