INSECT PEST SURVEY BULLETIN 
Vol. 11 Summary for -1931 No. 10 
INTRODUCTION 
•The outstanding features of the weather during 1931 were abnormally 
high temperatures nearly all year; a disastrously hot and dry growing sea- 
son in the northern plains; and variable rainfall, somewhat scarce but 
sufficient for crop -oroduction, over most of the country. 
The winter months early in 1931 were warmer than normal over practi- 
cally the entire country. In the northern plains the excess in average 
temperature amounted to about 20 degrees, growing less southward and east- 
ward. Rainfall was well below normal in most places. 
The spring months were nearer normal, being warmer than usual west 
of the Rockies and in the extreme Northern States, and cooler over the 
rest of the country. Precipitation was quite variable and somewhat below 
normal in most places. The shortage was serious in the northern plains, 
but rainfall was sufficient for crops in most other sections. 
The summer months averaged above normal all over the country. The 
excess in temperature was very unusual over a wide area in the northern 
plains and North Central States, especially in early summer. Many crops 
were injured by sadden and severe heat late in June in the Mississippi 
Valley. Summer rainfall was much like that of the spring, being variable, 
rather scanty in most places, sufficiently well-timed to allow normal crop 
production in much of the country, but injuriously short in the northern 
plains and near-by areas. 
The features of the fall and early winter have been high temperatures 
throughout, and considerable precipitation late in the period. Uncomfort- 
able heat persisted unusually late into the fall in the Central and East- 
ern States and moisture was scanty in many places. Snows in the Rocky 
Mountain region, and abundant or in places excessive rains over much of 
the country, with very little severe cold, featured late fall. 
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