St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1896-04-02
PRECIPITATION OVERCAME THE
DEFICIENCY OF JANUARY AND
FEBRUARY.
CONDITIONS OF THE MONTH.
p. #. LYONS SAYS THAT THEY
WE'RE UNUSUAL IN SEVERAL
RESPECTS.
vious Record, Indian Lore Not
Excepted.

Weather Bureau, st. Paul, has the following
to say about the weather during March:
''The month Of March just ended was nearly
three and a half degrees cooler than normal,
and the precipitation (rain and melted snow
was more than twice the normal. It is
fortunate that it was so, for it is the first
month since last September to make such a
record, all Of the rest since being decidedly
deficient in moisture. The effect was most
deplorably commencing to show itself on the
lakes and rivers.
The normal temperature for March, and
for this vicinity, is 1873 degrees; the mean
last month was Is Degrees the highest and
lowest was So above and 8 below zero, re-
gistered on the S6th and 31st respectively The
normal precipitation (rain and melted snow
is 1.S9 inches; 2.93 inches fell last month max
ing not only monthly excess of Ida, but
overcoming the deficiency that was accumu-
lating since the first of the year, so as to
show an excess since then of LOS inches. The
bulk of the precipitation fell on the last four
days OF the month, when it amounted to IA
inches. The snow that fell at the close Of the
month would, if unmelted, average about rs
inches. About foot of snow fell in the whole
month. There were seven clear, fifteen fair
and nine cloudy days, and ten days on which
VI OF an inch or mere Of precipitation fell.
The prevailing wind came from northwest.
The highest velocity northwest thirty
eight miles an hour, registered for minutes
on the 21st Total wind movement, 6937
miles.
The ice that had accumulated in the Miss
issippi river here either melted or foated
out by the 9th of last month. That is a
date rather early for the opening of the river,
and especially since the stage of the water
was so remarkably low, and the weather
cooler than usual. When the river gauge
used by the weather bureau was put in in
1877. It's zero, or lower end, was set to cor
respond with the lowest stage of water pre-
riously recorded, and it was stated to be in
1864. There were some who expressed doubts
as to its correctness, and thought that the
Mississippi river at st. Paul was never as
low as that. There is no doubt, however,
but what it considerably lower last
month, for, after the ice melted the water
was two-tenths of foot below the zero of the
gauge, and it did not rise above it until
the 18th. On the 10th and Goth it registered
0.9 of foot below zero of gauge, or nearly
foot lower than any previous record, In
dian lore not excepted.
Another noteworthy thing about the river
was the thinness of the ice in it as compared
with other bodies of water, and also other
years. 1t has been stated heretofore that the
ice either melted or floated out. Well the
fact is that it noel melted, for really there
was hardly sufficie:'E volume Of water to give
sufficient current to affect it seriously and it
opened and remained so, when in former
years. with stage several feet higher, and
volume of water and current much larger
and stronger, it would not only remain froz-
en-, but would quickly freeze if open. It's
conduct this winter must be due to the fact
that the water in it was supplied entirely
by springs as well as sewers, and hence was
sufficiently warm not only to melt the ice but
to overcome the temperatures that would
readily freeze if there were ten instead of
about one foot of water in it,
Local Forecaster Lyons, discovered by a
G l o e reporter yesterday, was glancing first
at tranquil wood cut entitled Evening On
the Bay of Naples" and then at an official re-
port wherein the figures controverted each
other with mathematical accuracy. Thus
alternately Gained by the pictorial
meteorology, and distressed by his assistants
calculations, Mr.. Lyons could be excused for
asserting that as far as he could determine
the latest weather indications presaged either
an earthquake or a cyclone
''Both of EN-" he said "are rather unusual
at this season of the year in st. Paul, but
we've had everything else, and our depart
ment is making a speciality of Easter week
novelties in climatic excitement"
Mr.. Lyons explained that the most snow had
fallen, during the preceding "a hours, in
Eastern Minnesota, and that locally the snow
Iall naQ Deen tne heaviest or the winter. 1t
would have amounted to seven or eight inches
on the level had none of it melted. The snow
and sleet storm had prevailed throughout the
Dakotas, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Mr.. Lyons
had received no thunder reports, nor did he
keep any lightning records, so he was quite
unable to say whether the electrical symptoms
in Tuesdays weather had been observed out
side Of the Twin Cities. The storm center was
moving to the east, and was then in the lake
region.
early tomorrow morning." said Mr..
Lyons, "the minimum temperature of this
cold spell will be reached here, and the
mercury may go down as far as 16 above zero
a few degrees colder than it was this morning.
Tomorrow will be fair to clear, and the air
will gradually warm up"
The fall of snow proved sufficiently heavy
In ST. Paul to bring good sleighing back once
more, and yesterday the Jingle of midwinter
bells was heard on every avenue and street.
Flurries of snow alternated with brilliant sun
shine, and the first day of the new month ex-
hibited frozen panorama of April showers.