DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY 131 



tenths of a degree higher still. This high mean was due to an 

 unusual succession of five warm months, commencing with July, 

 culminating with Octoher, and ending with November. It would 

 have been still more accentuated but for an unusually cold Febru- 

 ary which averaged 4,4 degrees below the mean for six years. 

 The remaining months varied only normally from the mean. It 

 is worthy of record that, while February averaged so cold, there 

 was only one day during the month when the minimum thermom- 

 eter reo'istered below zero. While the remaining winter months 

 averao-ed about as usual, there was likewise noted an absence of 

 extreme temperatures. Only twice did the minimum register 

 belov>- zero in January and not at all in either December or March. 



The summer months of 1900 were slightly warmer than usual 

 but no remarkable heat spells are recorded. While July was the 

 warmest month, as was to be expected judging by previous aver- 

 ages, the niDst depressing hot spells and the highest maximum 

 temperature occurred in August. September, October, and 

 November were uniformly warm for the season. No killing 

 frost occurred until October 18 and not even a light one until 

 September 20. 



Perhaps the most unusual phenomenon of the year was the pas- 

 sage of a destructive tornado across the central portion of the town 

 of Durham, N. H., about 4 : 45 p. m, on November 21. The tor- 

 nado passed very nearly from west to east across the town, the 

 destructive area being only a few rods in width and extending 

 intermittently for about two miles. Two barns of strong con- 

 struction were unroofed and otherwise damaged ; chimneys were 

 demolished and large trees prostrated. 



The total precipitation for the past year has been somewhat less 

 than usual, the driest month being June with only .35 inch of rain- 

 fall. However, the extensive rains of March, April, and May, 

 though following an open winter which had been particularly try- 

 ing to the grass roots, insured an excellent hay crop. The rainfall 

 for April was the heaviest of the year. It is interesting to note 

 that, on the average, November and JNIarch have been the months 

 of heaviest, and June and December of least, rainfall during the 

 past six years. The difference is apparently sufficient to indicate 

 a more or less permanent tendency, at least with reference to cer- 

 tain seasons. 



