The Topeka state journal., 1897-07-30
That Describes the Winter in
the Klondike Region,
According to Chief of the Wealth
er Service Moore.
DAY FOUR HOURS LONG
Temperature Below Freezing
Six Months in the Year.
AZ Degrees Below Zero For
Five Days at a Time.

Washington, July 30.-Under the di-
rection of the secretary of agriculture,
Chief Moore of the weather bureau has
made public statement in regard to
the climate of Alaska. In this state
ment Mr.. Moore says:
1.-The climate of the coast and interior
of Alaska are unlike in many respects
and the differences are intensified in
this as perhaps in few other countries
by exceptional physical conditions. The
fringe of islands that separates the
mainland from the Pacific ocean from
Dixon sound north and also a strip of
the mainland for possibly twenty miles
back from the sea, following the sweep
of the coast as it curves to the north
westward to the western extremity of
Alaska form a distinct climatic d1VlS-
ion, which may be termed temperate
Alaska. The temperature rarely falls
to zero, winter does not set in until
December l and by the last of May the
snow has disappeared except on the
mountains.
The mean winter temperature of
Sitka is 1925, but little less than that of
Washington, d. G.
1.-The rainfall of temperate Alaska is
notorious the world over, not only as
regards the quantity of falls, but also
as to the manner of its falling, viz: in
long and incessant rains and drizzles.
Clouds and fog naturally abound, there
being on an average but sixty clear
days in the year. North of the Aleu-
tian islands the coast climate becomes
more rigorous in winter, but in sum-
mer the difference is much less marked.
1.-The climate of the interior, including
in that designation practically all OF the
country except narrow fringe of
coastal margin and the territory before
referred to as temperate Alaska, is one
of extreme rigOr in winter with a brief
but relatively hot summer, especially
when the sky is free from cloud. In
the KlOndike region in midwinter the
sun rises from 9:30 to 10 a. m. and sets
from 2 to 8 p. M, the total length of
daylight being about four hours. Re
embering that the sun rises but few
wholly obscured on a great many days,
the character of the winter months
may easily be magined.
I'VE are indebted to the United States
coast and geodetic survey for a series of
six months observations on the Yukon,
not far from the site of the present
gold discoveries. The observations were
made with standard instruments and
are wholly reliable. The mean temper
atures of the months October 1889, to
April 1890, both inclusive, are as fol-
lows October, 3S degrees. November,
8 degrees; December, IL degrees below
zero; January, II degrees below zero;
February, Is degrees below zero; March,
6 above; April, 20 above. The daily
mean temperature fell and remained
below the freezing point (32 degrees)
from November 4, 1889, to April 21, 1890,
thus giving 16O days as the length of
the closed season of 1SS9-90, assuming
by temperature only. The lowest tenn
peratures registered during the winter
were: 80 degrees below zero in Novem-
ber, Al below in December, SO below in
January, 50 below in February, As below
in March and 26 below in April.
THE greatest continuous cold oc-
CURED in February, when the daily
mean for five consecutive days was Al
degrees below zero.
Greater cold than that here noted
has been experienced in the United
States for very short time, but never
has it continued so very cold for so
long a time. In the interior of Alaska
the winter sets in as early as Septem-
Der, when snow storms may be ex-
pected in the mountain passes. Head
way during one of these storms is i'm
possible and the traveller who is over
taken by one of them is indeed FORUM
ate if he escapes with his life.
THE changes of temperature from
winter to summer are rapid, owing to
the great increase in the length of the
days. The mean summer temperature
in the interior doubtless ranges be-
tween so and 70 degrees, according to
elevation, being highest in the middle
and lower Yukon Valleys