Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1876-03-01
THE CEyTUPY WEAIHER RE.
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A CURIOUS SHOWING of WARN WEATHER
IN JANUARY,


The remarkably mild weather of tho
past month has sadly puzzled the wise.
acres who had predicted an extraordi.
narily cold winter, commencing early
in November. Aud evcn the aoldest
inhabitants have set their wits to
work trying TO account for the back.
wardness OF the season. As q consc.
quenco items arc published in newspa-
pers of all sections furnishing parallels
to the seemingly unparalleled mildness.
Another interesting fact has been re-
called in this connection, to wit, that
the first month Of this Centennial win
ter closely resembles that Of l77G. The
newspapers of that day speak Of the
extraordinary weather. IL was even
said that the lack of the usual ice in
Boston harbor' prevented Washington
from crossing his forces and attempt
ing surprise Of the city, and the
Americans were enabled 10 contnu-
ally sendforth vessels from all parts Of
the harbor TO the West Indies for
munitions of war The mild season
also allowed General Schuyler in tho
first days Of January, TO dispatch lis
well planned little expedition up tho
Mohawk Valley TO surprise the High.
landers under Johnson. On the con
trary, the news Of that year from Eu-
rope indicated an intensely cold winter.
The weather records Of this city dis
close many facts worthy of note in this
connection. In comparing the mean
temperature Of the past month with
that Of each January for the last cen
tury it is found that in but seven in
stances was the temperature as high
as in the month Just closed. Last Fri
day february 1lth) the thermometer
reached 20 degrees, q point which,
during the whole century, was only
equaled in the years of 1890 and 1870,
and was not exceeded at either period.
The day may therefore be regarded as
a remarkable one. The mean tempera
ture, however, for the past month does
not reach the mean temperature at
tanned in either of the years alluded to-
but still the weather for the month
was unusually mild. According to the
records at the Pennsylvania Hospital
the mean temperature for last month
was 3S degrees, the minimum falling
only to II degrees above zero. This
was 6 degrees above the average for
January, and during the entire century
that point was only equaled in this
section in the years 1902, '2s, 43, 5e,
G3, and 20. In 1890 the mean tenn
perature was A degrees, the mildest
January ON record. Fogs prevailed
very much in the morning, but the hot
sun soon dispersed them, At that time
the mercury often ran up to 40 degrees
in the shade at midday. 1t is chron-
cled in Pierce's report Of the weather
that boys were seen swimming in the
Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. This
unusual weather was continued up 20
February Z. In 1902 the trees and
were blossoming in January,
and in 1928 the Delaware was as free
rom ice as in June The first month
If 1870 was the warmest January on
record after that of 1890. While in
nearly all these cases the winter has
oeen remarkably mild, there have been
instances noted when the winter did
not really commence until February,
md continued far into the spring sea-
son, at one time up to June. Even
Turing those winters when little or no
snow fell, the summer following the
unusual season was generally reported
70 be an exceedingly fine one. So it
will be seen that the clerk of the
weather is such an eccentric genius as
% defy all laws of precedent, refusing
,ven to do the bidding of those fogies
who claim to know by the color Of
yoose's breast-bone under what condi-
lions he shall present himself in this
section.