Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-07-07
THE CLIMATE OFCUBA
INTERESTING FACTS JUST Pun
LrsHrp BY WEATHER BUREAU
SOME VERY PERTINENT COMPARISONS
Conditions at Habana, washington,
and Kew oricnns-AnnuaI Average
Temperature, Rainfall, and winds.
Observations Elsewhere.

published a pamphlet on the temperature,
rainfall. and other climatic features OF
tho Island OF Cuba. with a note on the
weather OF Manila. The report Is the
work OF Or. ". i. II. Phillips, OF the de-
partmcnt, and contains many interesting
tables, giving a variety OF averages, such
as rainfall, temperature. humidity. and
the Hike, extending back many years. a
copy Of this pamphlet has been sent to
Mr.. Z. a. Evans. local Section Director.
Meteorological Information regarding
the Island OF Cuba is very scant. and the
data complied IN the various tables OF the
report represent, IT Is said, al the precise
meteorological Information that Is avail
able. For the purpose OF comparison, the
temperature. rainfall and number OF
rainy days at Washington, ID. C., ana
New Orleans. La. have been Introduced
in several tables, showing that the aver
ago summer temperature June, July, ana
Augusta of Habana is $50 degrees r..
that OF New Orleans SIG degrees FL ana
that Of Washington 75.g degrees +. inc
highest temperature recorded in ten years
at Habana was 1905, while at Washlns-
ton the highest temperature was IO4. Inc
average rainfall at babana IS 5l.IS lncies'
and Is less than that at New orleans
which Is 60.52 inches; the rainfall at WASH
sngton Is 4l.70 inches. The analysis OF tne
rainfall for thirty years at Habana snow
mai during this period five occasions
have happened when as much OF hoie
rain fell in the usual "dry season" as IN
tha "rainy season" The average amount
of rain falling in the rainy season,
which extends from May TO OCTOBER ~
32S7 inches. In the same months tne
average rainfall for New Orleans is N'
inches. and for Washington 24]O lnches'
TEMPERATURES At HABANA.
The average annual temperature OF
rJabana. as determined from the opserVd-
lions Of Belen College, made during the
uecennium 1SS'I, says Dr. PhlIiPs'
may be stated in.round numbers al - ue-
gree Fahrenheit. In this deceilhiuia INC
highest annual temperature was az Ho
Rrees. and this occurred upon lhree DC
caslons; and the lowest annual tempera-
sure was 761 degrees, and happened upon
only one occasion. showing in the Ten
1ears AN extreme range in annual ave
RACES of but IL degrees Fahrenheit ~
would. therefore, seem probable ina inc
mean Temperature for the decennlal pc
Rod 1887 IS about a true average lOt
Habana for any long period.
The Warmest month in ALBANIA is july,
with an average temperature OF "a de-
prees Fahrenheit. The warmest july III
this decennium had an average tenlpera-
ture OF $50 degrees. and the coolest july
a temperature Of SIT degrees. Ine warm
est single month in the decennial perlou
was August, 1888. when the average teH-
nerature was SAP degrees Fahrenheit
The coolest month is January WIN an
average temperature Of 1913 degrees ran
renhei and the warmest and coolest
Januarles i'm this decennium were re-
spectively. 73A degrees n 6L5 degrees
The highest temperature recorded was
1O0.6 degrees in July, 1891, and the lowest
49.a degrees in February, 1SB.
MATANZAs AND SANTIAGO.
For Natan2as. on the coast. about fifty
miles east of Habana, there is a record Tor
two wears. beginning In August. 1892, ana
ending July. 1888, and again beginning IN
january. 1895. and ending with December
of the same year. From this record the
mean annual temperature at Matanzas
appears to be about rs degrees. The high
est temperature is recorded as % degrees,
and the owest az 81 degrees.
At Santiago. on the extreme southeast
coast, tho temperature is apparently
higher than on the northern and western
coosts, and from the meagre data avail
nDle appears 10 NC ubOhl " NNbANNNs w.
an average difference between the warm
est and coolest months of about 9 degrees.
IA very short fragment of a record of
temperature has been found for Trinidad
de Cuba. about midway on the southern
coast, giving the average temperature
from December, 1851, 10 March. 1882, for
the hours Of z A.. NJ, 2 ]. NJ, and z p. NJ,
as 728, 1877, and 1853. respectively. and the
observer remarks that during that period
The highest temperature recorded was 81.
md the lowest $40, and the greatest range
in any twenty-four hours was 9.5. which
occurred upon the day having the highest
Temperature.
For the interior Of the island. only two
temperature records have been found
namely, for Ubajoy. and the mines OF
San Fernando. Ubatoy is. or was at the
time, a village about fifteen miles south
west OF Habana. and about 22 feet
above sea level. It's average temperature
from four years observations was 7S.6.
The place given as San Fernando mines
10 about $50 miles eastward of Habana.
and is 54 feet above sea level. The tenn
perature record is for the year 1899. and
shows an average Of IS degrees. From
these records the average annual tempe-
'rature Of the interior Of the island would
appear to be considerably lower than on
the coast.
THE ATMOSPHERIC MOISTURE.
Ths relative humidity of the atmos-
phere appears 10 be fairly constant. 1t
averages about rs per cent. OF the satu-
ration. The mean relative humidity of
the different months differs hardly enough
10 characterize one month rs being drier
or damper than another.
From observations made 9t Habana at
different hours of the Cay IL appears that
the diurnal range of relative humidity is
considerable, varying from a maximum
Of about IS per cent. in the morning TO
q minimum of about ca per cent. at noon.
The absolute humidity is very great. At
Habana the average is about rs grains
or yapor 20 the cubic foot Of air.
RAINFALL IN THE ISLAND.
The rainfall shows to a greater degree
Than the temperature the influence Of To-
cality and season OF the year. The rain
fall IS. as a rule. greater on the north
and east coasts than on south and west
coasts.
The fall OF rain Is greatest during the
months OF May n October. On an ave-
rage the greatest rainfall occurs In Octo-
Der. and the next greatest in June. During
the months of July and August there
appears quite a noticeable falling of In
the amount OF aqueous precipitation I'm
comparison with the months Of June and
October.
Tho description OF the rainfall Of Cuba
Virtually resolves itself. So far as present
Information goes, into that of the rain
fall At Iiabana. The short and prog
mentary records at Matanzas. Santiago
do Cuba. and the San Fernando mines
1900 ~ Aa.afTa.xa -. l