346 Meteorological Journal for the year 1840. 



Winter months, 34,11°. Spring months. 55.70°. Summer 

 months, 70.85°. Autumn months, 50.24°. There is a great 

 similarity in the seasons of the two past years, the difference be- 

 ing not more than a degree in any one of them. The range of 

 the barometer has been less than in the preceding year, the mer- 

 cury rising at no time higher than 29.80, or sinking below 

 28.78. January was a very cold month, the mean being 25°, 

 which is ten degrees below that of 1839. Although the mer- 

 cury did not fall at any time to more than 4° below zero, yet it 

 was below and near to that point on ten mornings. February, 

 which is usually the coldest month, was this year six degrees 

 warmer than January. March was six degrees warmer than that 

 of last year, and brought forward the blooming of plants some- 

 what earlier. The past year in the west, has been somewhat 

 remarkable for storms of wind and hail. On the 23d of April, at 

 half past four P. M., a tornado swept across the S. E. portion of 

 the town of Marietta, near the Ohio river, unroofing several 

 buildings, and blowing down the brick gable ends ; quite a num- 

 ber of ornamental trees were prostrated. It crossed the Ohio 

 from Virginia, where it did considerable damage to fences, trees, 

 &ic. The force of the wind continued only for a few minutes, 

 and was not very extensive. On the third day of May, a simi- 

 lar tornado visited Gallipolis and vicinity, doing considerable 

 damage to buildings, trees and fences. It took place at half past 

 four P. M. The same gust reached Marietta at half past five, 

 but was not so violent. 



Gallipolis lies about sixty miles distant in a S. W. direction 

 from Marietta. On the ISth of June, about noon, an uncommon 

 shower of hail fell upon a district of country three miles south 

 of this place. It commenced in the state of Ohio, a few miles 

 west of the river, ranging nearly east and west, and crossed the 

 river into Virginia, passing over the large island below town. 

 It was about a mile in width, and eight or ten miles in length. 

 A constant discharge of electric fluid attended the shower, not 

 however, in very loud peals of thunder, but with a continual 

 roar, like the rumbling of carriages over hard ground. So im- 

 mense was the quantity of hail, that it covered the earth to the 

 depth of six or eight inches, destroying the wheat, rye and oats, 

 entirely, beating them into the ground. Indian corn was greatly 

 damaged, but made a tolerable crop, where the plants were trim- 



