THE WINTER OF 1903-1904 



The winter of 1903-1004 will long- be re- 

 membered both on account of the large 

 amount of snow which has fallen and for 

 the low temperatures which have been ex- 

 perienced. It has proved to be a so-called 

 "old-fashioned" winter and, certainly, it 

 will tax the memory of the oldest inhabi- 

 tant to recall a winter with a greater 

 snowfall or a longer continued period of 

 sleighing. 



At the Blue Hill Observatory, during the 

 three winter months of December, Janua- 

 ry and February, S3 inches of snow have 

 fallen. During November there were 4 

 inches, and so far in March there have been 

 6 Inches, making a total, from Nov. 6 to 

 date of 93 inches, or nearly 8 feet of snow. 

 This is the largest amount yet recorded in 

 any winter since the establishment of the 

 observatory in 18S5, and is more than twice 

 the average depth of 45 inches, the fall 

 during January, alone, being 48 inches. 

 Other snowy winters fall far behind 

 10(13-1001 in snowfall, the next greatest 

 depth recorded being that of 1893-1894 

 when, in the three winter months, 04 inches 

 fell. 1886-1887 follows with a total of 02 

 inches, while 1902-1903 has a record of 61 

 inches. 1903-1904 also holds the record for 

 the number of days on which snow fell, 

 having 27 to its credit when one-tenth of 

 an inch or more fell, and 10 days with less 

 than that amount. This winter is close- 

 ly approached, however, by several other 

 years in this respect, there being 26 davs 

 in 1886-1887, 25 in 1887-1888, and 24 each 'in 

 1892-1893, and in 1900-1901, when one-tenth 

 of an inch of snow fell, the average num- 

 ber being 18. 



During this winter snow has covered the 

 ground for a longer consecutive period 

 than ever before recorded in this vicinity, 

 during a period of twenty years. In De- 

 to the 0th, the 

 th snow varying 



istantly covered, the 

 >n 4 and 24 inches. 

 24 inches was re- 

 again on Feb. 15. 

 . 3 and Feb. 29 was 

 ground less than 13 



'fall has this winter 

 uiaLiii 6 uw"^« however. While not 



the coldest on record yet it takes its stand 

 - nong the coldest, being the most' severe 

 1875. 



cember, 



from the '. 



ground 



was covered 



from 1 



to 4 inches 



was enjoyed, while f 



the groui 



id lia=i boon c< 





varying betw 



The mux 



imum depth 



corded o 



n Jan. 9 an 



At no tin 



le between Ja 



the amo 



ant on the 



inches. 

 Not al 



one in snow 



The cold weather began to eviden 

 self early in November and has contin- 

 ued with few interruptions until the pres- 

 ent week. November as a whole was not 

 an extraordinarily cold month, owing to 

 a very warm period during the first week 

 but the latter part evened things up by 1 e- 

 mg from 10 to 20 degrees colder than 

 the average for that time of year. Decem- 

 ber proved to be the coldest December 

 since 1800 and January turned out to be 

 the coldest month of that name since 1S93 

 while February, not to be outdone by its 

 predecessors, kept up the good work by be- 

 ing the coldest Fehruary in nineteen years 

 The average temperature for the 'three 

 winter months has been 20.8 degrees, and 

 this has been exceeded only four times in 

 fifty-five years, 18T.2. 1868,' 1873 and 1875 

 ildest 



being colder. 1S68 .,„ 

 in this vicinity since 

 gan to be kept in 184! 

 grees colder than Hi i 

 1857, is the coldest m 



I average temperature Y 

 5.8 degrees colder t h "' 



I During this wint 

 fallen below zero fourte 

 age i 



eathe: 

 beiiiH 



Jai 



irds be- 

 t 2 de- 



••iry, 



the ter 

 l til 



-d. the 



■7 degrees or 

 try, 1904. 

 iperature has 

 les, the avcr- 



mber being five times 

 On Jan. 5 and 6 the minimum tempera- 

 tures of 32 and 28 degrees below zero were 

 recorded at the Valley Station of the ob- 



servatory in Readville. These are the low- 

 est temperatures on record in this vicinity. 



There has been somewhat less than the 

 normal amount of sunshine. The wind 

 velocity has not been unusual and there 

 were no very severe gales. The wind di- 

 rection was chiefly from the west and 

 northwest. 



L. A'. Wells 

 Blue Hill Observatory, Milton, Mass., 

 March 9, 1901. 



