Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1872-03-07

Meteorological observations, as
taken at Woodstock, VT, for the
Smithsonian Institution, for the week
ending Thursday, Feb 30, 1872.
Warmest day 9th. Max. Their. 4l.OO
Mean for the day, 2770
Coolest day 2Sd' Min. Their. -240O
Mean for the day, 600
Range of temperature, 65 degrees
Mean temperature at O'clock a. m. l.?9
"2 p. m. 230O
p. m. lO.3S
for the month"; ll56
Mean ofcloudiness at 7 o'clock a. m. 472
p. m. AS
0 pm. 4.j2
for the month, 4.56
Mean force ofwind att o'clock a. m. 2.O3
9 pm. 2.0G
" pm. 22,l7
Number of days on which rain
has fallen, 6
Number of days without rain or snow 90
Amount OF snow, in inches, 29.e0
Amount OF rain and melted snow, 2.65
Whole amount of snow during the
winter, 9S.20 inches
whole amount of rain and melted snow
since Jan. l, 1872, 4.20 inches.
The month of February was unusually and
almost uniformly clear and cold, the minimum
thermometer falling below zero on sixteen days
during the month, and at oclockin the morn
ing it was below zero on thirteen days. The
lowest reading was on the 23d, when it was "a
degrees below zero, and the mean temperature
for the month was II. Sc degrees above zero. in
February, 1868, the minimum thermometer
read below zero on sixteen days, the lowest
readings being 39 below zero on the 8th, 26 be-
low onlthe 23d, and "a below on the Oath. In
February, 1862 the readings of the minimum
thermometer we're below zero on six days, the
lowest being q below on the 8th, and the mean
temperature for the month was 1887 degrees
above zero. In February 1870 the readings of
the minimum thermometer were below zero on
nine days, the lowest being IA below on the 5th,
and the mean temperature for the month 16,07
above zero. In February, 1871 the minimum
thermometer indicated below zero on eight days,
the lowest being 10 below on the 9th, while the
mean temperature Of the month was II .83
above Zero The coolest day Of this season was
Dec. 21st, when the thermometer indicated 27
degrees below zero. This in some reports is set
down on the 22nd but the lowestreading of the
thermometer was late in the evening of the
21st
Though we have recorded six days on which
rain or snow fell during the month. there were
but three worthy of note. Seventeen and half
inches of snow fell on Sd and 4th and twelve
inches on the 14th. These were all the storms
of importance during the month. There was
small amount Of rain fell on the 9th and on the
25th, and a slight squall Of snow on the Oath.
Clear and cold weather began on the 18th and
continued through the month with but very
little interruption, and for a part of the time
the sky was entirely cloudless.
The snow was about four feet deep on lev
el in the woods and in the fields where it had
not been removed by the winds that prevailed
especially through the latter part of the month";
and the ground was but slightly frozen, aud is
now generally free frost in the woods.
The drought is very severe, and is, perhaps
more severely felt than it was one year ago.
There was beautiful aurora on the evening
Of the 4th. at about nine o'clock, when broad
patch Of red auroral light was formed in the
south and similar patches of light in the north
and east, but they all disappeared soon after.
A slight earthquake shock was heard, and
slightly felt in some, places, on the morning of
February 18th, at rs minutes past o'clock.
The sound commenced with an explosion like
that Of sudden crash of thunder, and contin-
ued for nearly thirty seconds, but in the CEN
tral part of this village, when, during the shock
Of Oct, Goth, 1870, door bells were rung
continuously for 80 seconds or more of the
usually attending vibration were noticed. In
some Of the neighboring towns the shock was
more distinctly felt.