The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-02-12
IN THE GRIP OF WINTER.
The City Wrapped in Snow Again
The Weather Record.

The City Wrapped in Snow Again
The Weather Record.
The city is in the midst of another
binding snow and hail storm, and the
weather man says this will continue
to-day and then the mercury in the
thermometer will take a drop that will
be a record breaker.
The weather has certainly tried itself
since the first of January. AS far as
variety is concerned it has undoubted-
ly been a record breaker. If this is not
true. it appears so to the mortals who
have gone through it. 1t is not record
breaker here in regard to temperature.
but for outlandish variations it has been
There has been a perfect sluice of rain,
big snow storms, an ocean of sleet, a
fusillade of hail, and then the mercury
has acted in a most Independent manner
some days it was really uneomfortably
warm and then it would drop with Il
srddenness that made two ovefcoats de-
sirable.
Just at present the temperature is
disagreeably low.
The Western States are experiencing
extremely cold weather and have been
for some time.
The spell has broken all previous
records for low February temperatures
at number of Northern places, notably
Mt Washington. d. c., which scored 1t
below zero, the lowest ever known, and
Cincinnati, Ohio, with 16 below, but in
North Carolina, though pretty severe
weather has continued for four days,
the cold wave is not remarkable.
IL t,fttI ITeO
has only been below the normal since
the 7th, the daily deficiency during that
period averaging about 1S degrees. The
following are the lowest records: Sth,
"a degrees: 9th, 16 degrees; 10th, de-
grees, and 18th II degrees. with snow.
These figures have all been surpassed
before, both in 1855 and 1896.
Even the Every young" as well as
the oldest inhabitants will recall the
extremely severe February of 1893.
During that month the daily mean tenn
perature at Raleigh was continuously
below normal from the 1st to the 10Th.
with an average deficiency each day of
15 degrees; and on eight days the daily
deficiencies were between 20 and % de-
grees. The period of local temperatures
extended from February 9th to Febru-
airy 10th, with the following records:
9th, 15 degrees; 7th, Il degrees; Sth, 4
degrees; 9th, degrees; 10th, II de-
grees. The snowfall that month was 8
inches.
In order to break the record at Raleigh
the temperature must reach or fall be-
low zero. January is our coldest month,
and the lowest temperature known here
occurred January 18th, 1893, namely:
2 above zero. The array of minimum
temperatures that month have probably
been forgotten by the oldest inhabitant,
and are given here to refresh his MEM
Y, viz, giveny Hho oqlraIo flt:S3s ra
ory. viz: January, 1893. 18th, s degrees;
18th, % degrees; 18th, 10 degrees; 14th,
Z degrees; 10th, II degrees; 10th, i de-
grees; 18th. degrees; 18th, . degrees;
10Th. IS degrees; Goth, 10 degrees; 21st,
Z degrees; 22nd, 6 degrees.
During January, 1898, also snow fell
on seven days with a total amount un-
melted of over 20 inches.
No temperature below 10 degrees has
occurred at Raleigh during December.
The present cold weather in the West,
with an unusually high area of over BIZ
inches may cause a continuation of the
cold period of several days. In fact
when the snow storm now prevailing,
closes, the conditions will be very ia
vorable for breaking our record. which
is not desirable, nor to the interests OF
the Sunny South T"