Meteorological Report for the year 1828. 7b 



the heat, — that the perspiration was starting from every 

 pore, and that a pestilential disease was beginning to spread 

 its ravages through the country. Great apprehensions were 

 entertained throughout the southern country, that so warm 

 a winter, would be followed by a sickly summer, and au- 

 tumn. Such, however, as far as we have learned, was not 

 the fact. 



At this place, small quantities of snow fell at several times 

 during the month of January, but not enough for sleighing 

 — indeed sleighs were hardly seen abroad during the winter. 



The average minimum temperature of this month was 

 no lower than about 29 degrees, or 3 degrees below the 

 the freezing point; and its average maximum was as high as 

 nearly 38i degrees, the mean being 33i degrees, that is, l| 

 degrees above the freezing point of water. So high a mean 

 for January has rarely if ever occurred here. The mean 

 for January 1827, was only 22 degrees. The highest tem- 

 perature recorded during the month was 53 degrees, ap- 

 proaching a summer heat. 



February also enjoyed the mild temperature of May, re- 

 sembling the pleasantest winter months of the Carolinas. 

 Its average temperature was about 40, which was 10 degrees 

 above that of February 1827. In one instance, on the 10th, 

 the thermometer rose to 60 ; and owing to the influence of 

 southerly winds, rendering the atmosphere humid, the sea- 

 son appeared even warmer to the senses than was indicated 

 by the state of the mercury. The vegetable kingdom began 

 to give tokens of anticipating its vernal functions. On the 

 first of the month, the lilacs were budding out ; on the twen- 

 tieth, the gooseberry was putting forth leaves; and at the 

 same time, the operations of gardening were commenced. 

 Among the anomalies of the season may be mentioned the 

 fact, that violent thunder storms occurred in various places. 

 On the 2nd. of February, a house was struck with lightning 

 in Ontario County, in the State of New York, and much 

 damaged. The blue bird, one of our early harbingers of 

 spring, was first observed on the 17th. 



March had nearly the same pverage temperature as Feb- 

 ruary, although in one instance, (the 28th) the thermometer 

 rose to 69 degrees. Snow occurred in two or three instan- 

 ces, but it remained only a short time ; and although the 

 ground had remained during the greater part of winter, des- 

 titute of this warm covering, yet on account of the extra- 



