The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1897-08-03
ALASKA.
The Weather Bureau Gives Interesting
Information In Regard to the Climate
OF That Country.


of That Country.
WASHINGTON. July 3l.-Under the di-
rection of Secretary of Agriculture
Wilson, Chief Moore, of the weather
bureau, has made public statement
in regard to the climate of Alaska.
In this statement Mr. Moore says:
The climates of the coast and the in
terror of Alaska are unlike in many
respects and the differences are In.
tensified in this as perhaps in few other
countries by exceptional physical con
ditions. The fringe of islands that
separates the main land from the Pa
ci6c ocean from Dixon sound north
ward and also strip Of the
main land for possibly twenty
miles back from the sea, following
the sweep of the coast as it curves to
the northwestward to the western ex-
tremity of Alaska form a distinct
climatic division 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 32.5 but little less than that of
Washington, d. G.
The rainfall of temperate Alaska is
notorious the world over. not only as
regards the quantity that falls, but
also as to the manner of its falling,
viz: In long and incessant rains and
drizzles. Cloud and fog naturally
abound, there being on an average but
81 clear days IN year.
North of the Aleutian islands the
coast climate becomes more rigorous
III winter. but III summer the differ
ence is much less marked
The climate of the interior, including
in that designation practically all of
the country except a narrow fringe of
coastal margin, and the territory be-
fore referred to as temperate Alaska.
is one of extreme rigor in winter, with
brief but relatively hot summer,
especially when the sky is free from
cloud. In the Klondyke region in mid
winter the sun rises from $50 to 10
a. M. and sets from to 3 p. M, the
total length of daylight being about
four hours Remem bering that the
sun rises but few degrees above the
horizon. and that it is wholly obscured
on a great many days, the character
of the winter months may easily be
imagined.
We are indie bted 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 observ-
atoms were made with standard in.
strumeuts and are wholly reliable.
The mean temperatures of the month
of October, 1889, to April, 1890, both in
elusive, are as follows:
October. 33 degrees; November, de-
grees; Dece mber IL degrees below zero
January, II below zero; February. l:
below zero; March. 6above zero; April,
20 above zero
The daily mean temperature fell snC
remained below the freezing point Is:
degrees) from Novembe 4, 1889, tC
April 81. 1890, thus giving 16S days a:
the length of the closed season of 1899
30. assuming that outdoor operations
are controlled by temperature only.
The lowest temperatures registered
during the winter were: Thirty
degrees below zero in November. Al
airy, 50 Below in February, As below in
March and 2G below in April.
The greatest continuous cold occur
red in February, 1890, when the daily
mean for five consecutive days was AZ
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 sc
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 mountains and passes.
Roadway during one of these storms
is impossible and the traveller who is
overtaken by one of them is indeed
fortunate if he escapes with his life.
Snow storms of great severity may &C.
cur in any month from Septe m Der to
May, inclusive.
The changes of temperature from
winter to summer are rapid owing to
the great increase in the length of the
day. In May the sun rises at about 3
a. m. and sets about 0 p. m. In June,
it rises about 1880 in the morning and
sets at about 1920 p. M, giving about
20 hours of daylight and.diffuse twi'
light the remainder of the time.
The mean summer temperature in
the interior doubtless ranges between
SO and 20 degrees, according to eleva-
ton, being highest in the middle and
| lower Yukon valleys.