The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-02-15
JANUARY IN KANSAS.
This is About the Peculiarities of the
Weather All Over the State.

The official United States weather bu-
reau meteorological report of Kansas for
the month of January, as compiled by T.
B. Jennings, has just been issued. 1t
shows that the month of January, 1898,
@ IeiIlel hoIe Oiie %
perature and precipitation The Volun-
tary meteorological service was organized,
ILlL1SL tiC
perVlslon OF the weather bureau during
1887. Since then eleven JanuarieS have
passed into history but one of which has
Deen SIOr TINS State) as warm as that or
1898; January, 1896, was degrees warmer;
while none have approached its magnif-
cent record Of an average precipitation,
for the entire state, of LIZ inches, Janu-
ary,s 1891. with an average of 1.51, coming
the nearest In localities January has
occasionally been warmer or wetter; for
instance, at Fort Riley in AZ years jan
wetter; at Manhattan in 81 years, 1868, 1878
$780, 1882 and 1896 have been warmer, and
1853 1863 1878, 1885, 1856, 1880, 1891 and 1897:
at Lawrence during 81 years January 1880
and 1882 have been warmer, but none wet
ter or as wet. In the western part of the
state the temperature differences have
not been SO pronounced and We ind at
Dodge City, during a record of "a years
that January, 1876 1878, $780, 1882, 1898, 1894
and 1896 have been warmer, While only
1886 was Wetter. The mean tempera ture
this month was below normal in the eX-
IRENE western and southwestern coun-
ties; coming eastward it soon passes above
the normal and at Dodge City IS de-
above and at Manhattan, Lawrence and
Emporia it is over 6 degrees above, while
at Independence it is over degrees above
the normal. But three stations report
minimum temperature below zero this
month, viz: Colby, Tanning and Mime
apolis, and eight stations minimum at
Gibson. Hoxie. Beioit Russell and SEN
eca. The precipitation this month is
least in the northwestern counties and
greatest in the southeastern, where 1t ex-
ceeds 4 inches; it also exceeds 4 inches
in Johnson, Wyandotte and the eastern
Part par or counties b1 abo1 nor
NAL over the rest of the state; it is
inches or more above the normal in Atch-
ILe3V0Q worth. WVan0Otte. Johnson.
Douglas, Franklin and Miami, and in
Cherokee I.abette and Montgomery, and
over inches above at Sedan. Snow was
the prevalent character of the precipita-
ton except in the southeastern and cen
centers around which the snowfall this
month has clustered: Meade, with a snow
in Ness, whence it Increases to IS inches
in the eastern part of Ellis and into the
son another center appears, with the
snowfall nearly reaching Is inches, while
Mr.. Jennings refers to the reported fall
of SnOwballs in Saline county in Janu-
airy as follows:
"A decidedly unusual phenomenon oc-
Cured in Saline county during the snow
storm on the 14th, which would indicate
that the conditions which produce hall
stones IN warm weather may pIeNdll III
cold weather the temperature LOT Gay
ranging between "a degrees and % de-
grees; over narrow belt about L miles
varia to north of the Saline river late
that evening, fall of snowballs occurred
ranging from the size of base balls to
half bushel measures; they do not seem
to have been hard, yet they We're still
to be seen scattered about the fields by
persons who went out the next Sunday,
the 18th, to view them.
For the month the following summary is
Temperature (in. degrees F.: Mean, S1.9;
departure from the normal, 3D. highest
monthly mean, 49, at Oswego; lowest
monthly mean, 2S, at Eureka ranch; max
imum IS at Fall River and Ottawa on the
18th: minimum below zero. at Mime
apoIis on the 18th; greatest monthly range.
ii. at Gibson; least monthly range 49, at
Campbell and Kansas City
Precipita ton dn inches): Total 172;
departure from the normal, 0.79; greatest
monthly. 4.97, al Sedan; least monthly,
O.01. at Colby.
Wind prevailing direction), northwest.
Thunderstorms (dates), 8, 10, II, "A, %
Hail dates, II.
f fsss }dates} Is, Il 49, 49, 20 d. p, 90 "a
Lunar halos Oates. l, 8, 4, 6.
Dust storms (dates), 29.
On the night of January 24-22 lightning
struck a barn near lola belonging to
James Bush. killing two horses, and ten
calves and burning the barn and its con-
tents.