xxii BOARD OF AGRICTTLTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



Massachusetts Weather, 1903. 



[Compiled fuoji Data fuknisiikd uy the New England Weather Service.] 



The weather of January was of the usual mid- winter tyi)e. 

 Several severe storms passed over the State, and freijuent 

 severe gales were ex})crien('ed along the coast. The wi-ather 

 was somewhat milder than usual for January, the mean tem- 

 perature being about 1° above the normal. There were no 

 unusual extremes of temperature, and the usual warm i)eriod, 

 or " January thaw," was absent. The precipitation showed 

 a slight deliciency, as compared with the normal of the month. 

 The snowfall was also rather light, but, owing to the uniform 

 temperature, the ground was generally wxll covered until 

 the close of the month. 



February was marked by rai)id and pronounced changes 

 in the weather. A heavy snowstorm, a cold wave, a thaw, 

 thunderstorms and gales of hurricane force Avere i)rominent 

 features. The storm of the l(ith-17th was unusually severe. 

 It reached all sections with heavy snow, and gales of great 

 violence occurred alonsf the coast. The month was Avarmer 

 than usual for February, the monthly temperature being 

 about 2° above the normal. The precipitation Avas also in 

 excess, but the distribution Avas somcAvhat irregular. At the 

 close of the month the ground Avas generally bare of snoAV. 



The Aveather during March Avas very pleasant, although 

 unseasonal, and some of its elements Avere phenomenal. The 

 precii)itation Avas largely in excess, the monthly amounts 

 being from 1V> to 2 inches above the normal. The snowfall 

 Avas, however, unusually light, and at the close of the month 

 there Avas none on the ground. The monthly mean temi)cr- 

 ature Avas the hiohest of official record, covering a period of 

 thirty-tAvo years, and averaged 10^ above the normal for 

 ^Nlarch. According to authentic records covering a period 

 of a hundred A^ears, the month Avas the AA^armest of its name 

 Avithin a century. 



The weather of April Avas uneventful, and generalW char- 

 acteristic of the season. The temi)erature AA^as somewhat in 

 excess, ranging about 1.;") above the monthly normal. The 

 precipitation was near the normal, the departures generally 



