Evening journal., 1899-12-14

December since 1871. The figures show
that the lowest mean temperature for
December since 1871 was 25.1 degrees,
and that was in 1876. The next lowest
mean temperature for the month was
in 1872. when it was PA degrees, and
the next in $780, when IL was 27.7 de-
grees. The average mean temperature
for the ten years. from 1871 to 1881,
was 1868 degrees; from 1881 TO 1891, it
was 35.3 degrees, and from 1891 to
1898, Il was BAG. 10 will be seen, there
fore, that instead of these latter-day
Decembers being abnormally warm,
they have been a little colder than they
were several years ago.
While these figures show that there
has been nothing abnormal about the
mean temperature of any December for
the past dozen years or so, there are
other figures which show that the mini
mum temperatures of the Decembers OF
twenty or more years ago were lower
than those of recent years. On Deem
her II, 1872, the minimum temperature
was l2 degrees. Tuesday IL was "a,
and the highest minimum temperature
for the same date before Tuesday
and since 1872, when the tabulating of
minimum temperatures began was AZ
degrees in 1887 The maximum Tues
day. 80 degrees has had only one
equal for the same date since 1872, and
that was in 1878. The mean tempera-
ture for the present December, up to-
and including Tuesday the weather.
men figure, was 2 degrees above the
normal, but the remaining days may
even things up
In one particular, however, the pres
ent December is freak. IL Is so far
short on rain that. unless there is a.
leak in clouds soon, it will pass into
history as a well-nigh rainless month.
Including the rainfall Of Tuesday only
"a inches has fallen here during the
month. The normal rainfall for the
month is put down at 1.2S inches. What
Is true OF the lack of rain here is also
true of all the Middle Atlantic and
New England States. In most Of these
states the rainfall is below the normal
from two TO four inches, and a drought
is on. The effect OF this drought
is being heavily felt throughout New
England and the Gulf States are also
suffering. Should a prolonged period
of freezing weather fall upon many To-
calities in the Middle and New England
States within a short time. those To-
calities would be threatened with a
water famine.
Warm Decembers hereabouts have Sc
riously interfered with the sale of Win
ter dry goods before, but, from what
the merchants say, the weather Of the
present December has more seriously
interfered with the sale of these goods
than ever before.
Meteorologists have undertaken to
account for the passing of the old
fashiOnedWinter onvarious HYPOTHESIS
! They say that there are practically no
more Winters in the Middle and South
ern New England States. because the
forests have disappeared and because
the Gulf Stream has shifted in nearer
the coast. That their explanations are
unsatisfactory even to themselves is
lshown by a remark made by one of the
local weather men TO a reporter Tues.
day when the reporter asked the rea.
sou for the disappearance of the old
time Winters.
ASK somebody wiser than /. said
he. I've heard some lovely scientific
reasons advanced one year. which
didR't seem to apply the next year al
all, and, therefore, I've got through
. with scientific accountings. The fac
, is that the climate OF the Middle ant
r Hover New England States has changed
} II anybody wants an old-fashioneC
Winter in these parts now he mus
! move long ways nearer the pole"