1899.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — Xo. 



REPORT OF THE METEOROLOGIST. 



JOHN E. OSTRANDER. 



During the year, as in previous years, the meteorological 

 division has been principally engaged in the observations 

 of the various weather elements and phenomena, and the 

 compilation of the records in permanent form. The more 

 important results, together with summaries of most of the 

 others, have been published, as heretofore, in bulletin form 

 each month. The usual summary of the weather for the 

 year will be issued when the records are completed. 



The records of the division were begun with the year 

 1889 ; accordingly, this year completes the first decennial 

 period. A tabulation of the results for the whole period 

 is under way, for use in determining the means of the 

 several weather elements at this station. These results 

 should give normal conditions 4iffering but little from 

 those that may afterward be deduced from observations 

 covering a much longer time, and will be found valuable 

 for the purpose of determining departures from mean con- 

 ditions in the future. The tables are being arranged in a 

 suitable form for publication, so that they may be issued in 

 bulletin form, if it is thought desirable. 



While the self-recording instruments in the tower give 

 generally good results, the records of the sun thermometer 

 are lacking in precision. Cold-air currents and variable 

 M'ind velocities give at times records which cannot be 

 distinguished from those due to cloudiness. The desira- 

 bility of having a photographic or an electrical sunshine 

 recorder, for use in conjunction with the Draper instrument, 

 is suffo-ested. 



The local forecasts of the weather have been received 

 daily, except Sunday, from the Boston ofiice of the United 



