mean temperature, with great variabilitj', especially during 

 the middle of the month ; heavy local storms accompanied 

 by thunder and lightning, high winds and hail, prevailing 

 southerly winds and an excess of rainy days. 



The mean temperature was from 1^ to over 3° above the 

 average throughout the State. The lowest occurred on the 

 morning of the 11th, when considerable damage was done in 

 the eastern districts by frost. From the 11th to the 14th 

 there were very strong ranges of temperature with steadily 

 increasing heat each day, until on the latter date it rose to 

 90° and over, at all stations except at some of those very near 

 the coast ; thus the range for the month was unusually large. 



The precipitation was about one inch below the normal on 

 the southern coast, but considerably above the average in 

 the northern and western districts. The heaviest hailstorm 

 occurred on the 14th, and did the most damage in the upper 

 Connecticut valley at Greenfield ; thousands of dolUirs of 

 damage was done to windows, and in other towns farther 

 east much glass was broken. 



The month of July was characterized by excessive heat, 

 great range in temperature, large amount of sunshine, low 

 humidity, deficiency of clouds and a lack of rainfall. 



Unusually low temperatures occurred on the 4th, 6th and 

 17th; light frosts being reported in some low lands. High 

 temperatures were experienced from the 10th to 15th and 

 from the 22d to 29th ; the last period was the hottest spell 

 of weather felt in Massachusetts for several years. 



The amount of sunshine recorded at Blue Hill was the 

 largest ever recorded for any month during the seven years 

 of observation. Very little rain fell in any section of the 

 State from the 4th to the 28th, and this, coupled with the 

 intense heat, caused an unusually sharp though not unusually 

 severe drought. The greatest damage was probably done to 

 potatoes, although grain, garden truck, pastures and newly 

 mowed fields suftered to considerable extent. The drought 

 ended with heavy thunder-storms on the 28th and 29th in 

 the central and western sections, and a heavy north-east rain 

 on the 31st. 



The weather for Massachusetts for the month of Au2:ust 

 was characterized by a nearly average temperature, air 



