6 



Massachusetts Weather. 



January was warmer thau the average, and the precipita- 

 tion was greater than usual in tlie central counties. The 

 snowfall was deficient; the greater part came on the 6th, 

 and remained on the ground but a few days, giving little 

 protection to grass and grain. The alternate freezing and 

 thawing of the ground probably caused some damage. 

 Snow, ice and bare ground alternated at the end of the 

 month. The prevailing wind was from the north-west. A 

 thunder-stoim occurred at Williamstown on the 2d, and 

 distant lightnin": was seen at Provincetown on the 2e5th. 



February was warm and dry. The precipitation was least 

 along the coast. From eight to twenty-six inches of snow 

 fell in the western part of the State and from one to eight 

 inches in the eastern. Not more than a trace of snow 

 remained on the ground at the end of the month. The 

 prevailing direction of the wind was from the north-west. 



March was cool and dry. On the extreme southern Rhode 

 Island and Massachusetts coast the precipitation was above 

 the average, but in other sections it was below. The pre- 

 vailing wind was from the north-west. Thunder-storms were 

 observed at Hyannis and Mansfield on the 10th, and at New 

 Bedford and Randolph on the 11th. 



April was warm and dry. Very little snow fell, and none 

 lay on the ground on the 15th or end of the month. The 

 prevailing wind was from the north-west. A well-marked 

 thunder-storm occurred on the 2d. 



The weather for May was characterized by an excess of 

 rainfall and number of rainy days and an unusually high 

 mean wind velocity. The mean temperature was slightly 

 below the average and the monthly range was strong. There 

 was an excess of westerly and northerly winds and less 

 southerly and easterly winds than usual. 



The precipitation for the month was greatest in the central 

 and western districts and least on the coast. A remarkably 

 late snow-storm occurred on the 20th. This was felt only 

 on the western highlands, but was severe there as well as in 

 Vermont and New Hampshire. 



The weather for June was characterized by a very high 



