REMARKS 



The weather for the month of August provided a most un- 

 comfortable combination of heat and humidity with few breaks, 

 and recorded below normal precipitation. It was the warmest 

 August since 1939 and recorded the highest mean relative humidity 

 in the past 18 years. While the high of 95 degrees was recorded on 

 but 3 days, a temperature of 90 degrees or more was recorded on 

 8 days of the month. The highest maximum, 100 degrees on 

 August 7, 1918, was never reached but only 1937 and 1939 have 

 recorded warmer Augusts since 1837, the beginning of weather 

 records at Amherst. Of the 1.69 inches of precipitation for the 

 month, 1.45 inches was recorded in 2 storms on the 16th and 26th, 

 and measurable precipitation occurred (m 6 days. The cumulative 

 deficiency in precipitation is shown by the 7.64 inches recorded 

 for June, July, and August against a normal of 11.93 inches for 

 this period. There were no high winds during the month. 



Dr. J. K. Shaw, research pomologist, makes the following 

 statement: "The weather during August has been characterized 

 by a lack of rainfall. While the drought this late in the season has 

 not been severe enough to seriously injure the fruit crop, it may 

 have slowed the rate of growth of the fruit. Probably the apple 

 harvest will be a little later than average, due mostly to late bloom. 

 The apple crop in the University orchards will be below average 

 due principally to a short Mcintosh crop. Reports indicate that 

 the crop over the State will be larger than the small crop of 1946. 

 Peaches are yielding well and other tree fruits are good. The blue- 

 berry crop proved to be somewhat better than anticipated." 



