CHAPTER IV. 



METEOROLOGY. 



COMPAEISON OF NEBBAFKA WITH REGIONS HAVING A SIMILAR CLIMATE IN EDROPE. — ClIMATE OF WASHINGTON TERRITORY — GENERAL 



CONCLUSIONS. — Cold as an obsthlction to hie railroad route. — Snow as an obstruction to the railroad line. — Observa- 

 tions ON the I30T^ERM.^L CHART. — TaBLE OF MEAN TEMPERATURES AT STATIONS BETWEEN THE MOCTII OF THE ST. LAWRENCE AND 

 PBOET SOUND. 



COMPARISON OF NEBRASKA WITH REGIONS HAVING A SIMILAR CLIMATE IN 



EUROPE, &c. 



Nebraska and western Minnesota (called Dacotah) lie between the parallels of 40° and 49° 

 north latitude, and may be limited for the present comparison by the Rocky mountains, which 

 form its western boundary, and a line running parallel to them in a northwestern direction, from 

 the intersection of the Missouri with latitude 46° to latitude 49°, giving an average width of 

 650 miles, and an area of 350,000 square miles. This large area has, in the plains, mean 

 temperatures as follows, stating the means for each season as observed at stations as near as 

 possible to each of its four corners. 



Southeast corner: Fort Kearney, 6 years' observations, latitude 40.38, longitude 98.57, altitude 

 2,360. 



Spring 46.80 



Summer 71.50 



Autumn 49.30 



Winter 23.00 



Year 47.70 



Southwest: Fort Laramie, latitude 42.12, longitude 104.47, altitude 4,519. 



Spring 46.80 



Summer 71.90 



Autumn 50.20 



Winter 31.10 



Year 50. 10 



Northeast: Fort Garry, latitude 50.15, longitude 96, altitude 850. 



Spring 35. 79 



Summer 67.76 



Autumn 40.88 



Winter G.85 



Year 34.38 



Northwest: Fort Benton, latitude 47.50, longitude 110.36, altitude 2,790. 



Spring 49.90 



Summer 72.80 



Autumn 44. 50 



