REMARKS 



The weather during April was wet, cold, and disagreeable. The 

 total precipitation for the month was 4.56 inches, the normal being 

 3.35 inches. Two inches of snow fell during the month, all on April 2. 

 The total precipitation since January 1 is now 14.88 inches. The 

 normal for this period is 13.85 inches. 



The mean temperature for the month was 42.5 degrees. This is the 

 coldest April since 1926, when the mean was 41.2 degrees. The mean 

 temperatures for April 1898, 1907, and 1917 were also lower than that 

 of the past month. The domestic heating load was 675 degree-days 

 during April, compared to a normal of 579 degree-days. The total 

 heating load for the season is 6315 degree-days; the normal for this 

 period is 6498 degree-days. The total snowfall during the past 

 winter was 49.25 inches, the normal being 47.73 inches. It is inter- 

 esting to note that 23.5 inches fell during the two storms of Novem- 

 ber 24-25 and March 11-13. 



There were 189 hours of bright sunshine, compared to a normal of 

 220 hours. 



Dr. J. K. Shaw gives the following report on vegetation: '"In 

 contrast to the very early season of 1938, the present spring will be 

 recorded as very late. \ egetation is about a month behind that of 

 last year and nearly two weeks later than average. However, a few 

 very warm days would enable vegetation to catch up; the late spring 

 will have little if any effect on the maturity of most fruit crops. 

 A late spring is on the whole favorable, for it shortens the probable 

 period of danger from spring frosts. 



"Prospects for a peach crop are good as there was no cold severe 

 enough to kill the fruit buds. We have observed considerable injury 

 to apple wood, probably caused by the unseasonable cold of the last 

 week in November before the wood had completely matured. The 

 temperature of —4° on November 26, 1938 is 772 degrees lower than 

 any previously recorded for this month at this station, and no lower 

 temperature was recorded during the winter. It will not be surprising 

 if this most unusual cold caused some injury to fruit plants." 



