No. 4.] REPOllT OF SECRETAEY. ix 



inches, or about an inch below the normal. Several lisrht 

 thunderstorms occurred. No high gales were noted, al- 

 though the wind movement was greater than usual. The 

 percentage of relative humidity was considerably above the 

 average for June. 



In July the temperature varied but slightly from the nor- 

 mal, but the precipitation was decidedly deficient. Showers 

 were frequent, but little damage was done, and the rainfall 

 was light and unevenly distributed. On the 25th the mini- 

 mum temperature ranged from 40° to 54°, and a light frost 

 occurred at Taunton. Sunshine was considerably more than 

 average, only five cloudy days being recorded at Boston. 

 No violent windstorms were reported, although some dam- 

 age was done in various parts of the State during several 

 thunderstorms. The prevailing wind direction was west. 

 Hail occurred at Worcester on the 5th. 



August will long be remembered as a month of numerous 

 storms of unusual severity. Thunderstorms were severe, 

 but not frequent. The storm of the 6th was almost a tornado 

 at Taunton, accompanied by severe hail, and at Lynn the 

 damage by lightning and flood was estimated at $75,000. 

 Severe storms occurred on the 20th and 24th, the maximum 

 wind velocity reaching 4(3 miles in the latter storm. The 

 storm of the 29th was prol^ably the worst August storm for 

 years. Although the loss of life and property in this section 

 did not approach that in the Southern States, many thousand 

 dollars' worth of damage was done in New England and the 

 northeast. The rainfiill was moderate, but the wind was 

 very severe, the extreme velocity being 75 miles at Boston at 

 4.12 P.M. 



The temperature for the month showed an excess of from 

 1.1° to 1.7°. Precipitation was consideral)ly above normal 

 in the eastern portions of the State and nearly as much below 

 in the western. The prevailing wind direction was south- 

 west. Light frosts occurred at Great Barrinoton on the 14th 

 and at Adams on the 23d and 31st. Hail fell at Fitchburg 

 and Concord on the 7th. 



The month of September had a temperature considerably 

 below the normal and the precipitation was also deficient. 



