REMARKS 



The weather during April was very cold with a mean tem- 

 perature of 41 degrees. This is the lowest mean temperature for 

 April recorded at this station since it was established in 1889. 

 The normal mean temperature for April is 45.7 degrees. The low- 

 est temperature was 19 degrees which occurred on the 4th, 6th 

 and 7th. This is not unusually cold for this month. The domestic 

 heating load for the month was 721 degree-days compared to a 

 normal of 579 degree-days. The total heating load for the season 

 is now 6735 degree-days while the normal heating load to the 

 end of April is 6511 degree-days. 



The total precipitation during April was 3.66 inches; the 

 normal precipitation is 3.35 inches. The snowfall was 1.75 inches, 

 the normal being 2.17 inches. The total snowfall for the past 

 winter was 33.50 inches. The normal snowfall to the end of 

 April is 36.95 inches. There were 247 hours of bright sunshine 

 compared to a normal of 220 hours. The total wind movement 

 was 6200 miles, while the normal for April is 5404 miles. The 

 highest wind velocity was 39 miles per hour on the 28th. A 

 very low barometer of 28.98 inches, corrected to sea level, was 

 recorded on the 14th. This is the lowest barometer recorded at 

 this station in April. 



Dr. Shaw comments as follows: "Rarely has a month of 

 April passed with so little advance in vegetation as in April, 1943. 

 Buds have enlarged and grass has become green at the close 

 of the month, but the stage of development is at least two weeks 

 behind that of the corresponding date of last year. There is as 

 yet no indication of severe winter injury to fruit plants. There 

 will be no peach crop in Massachusetts. There is some tree in- 

 jury, but at present there is no indication that it will prove to 

 be severe. The wood shows some brown discoloration and the 

 branch tips are killed in some cases. Unless there is unseason- 

 ably warm weather in early May, blooming dates of all fruits 

 will be later than the average. This is likely to make harvesting 

 dates later than usual, but the danger of injury to blossoms and 

 young fruits from spring frosts will be decreased. Apple fruit 

 buds are swelling and indicate a light bloom which would be 

 expected considering the heavy crop of last season." 



