The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1904-05-06
RAINFALL IN WESTERN KANSAS
CoETIHUED FALL OF MCIsTURE TOTALS
MoRE THAN TWO INCHES OF WATER
Ground Soaked to = Good Depth and Grass
and SOEed Grain Coming On Rap
idIy-Sn0w's Theory as to Origin
Of Kansas Rain.

The continued falling of rain in west
ern Kansas, which began last week and
extended into the fore part Of this week,
has given Sherman county a soaking,
the like of which has not been expert
enced for many months. Previous to
the recent coming Of rain everything
was extremely dry and agricultural ac-
tivities were at a standstill because Of
the dessicated condition Of the soil A
light acreage had already been put in,
both in the fall and spring, but the
wind and the drouth was doing bad
work until the welcome moisture came.
Wheat fields are now coming on fast
and the grass IS accomplishing a rapid
g-owth.
The recent coming Of moisture had all
the characteristics Of an eastern rain -
It did not come with a great noise of
thunder and lightning, and then per
haps fail to materialize, but the clouds
crept quietly over the sky followed by
steady downpOur and a favorable tenn
Perature. Rain fell at night as well as
in daytime, and the precipitation is
conservatively estimated at 21z inches
Little Of it has been lost by evaporation,
as the continued cloudy weather has
permitted all Of the water to soak into
the ground.
Since these steady and cOpious rains
have come, discussion as to the source
Of Kansas rain has arisen. According
to the theory that an excessive snowfall
in the Rocky mountains is followed by
an abundant rainfall in Kansas the fol-
lowing season, while a deficiency of
snowfall indicates the probability of a
serious deficiency, is combated by Dr.
F. H. Snow, of the University of Kan
sas, who believes that the rains of Kan
sas are caused by winds from the Gulf
of Mexico. He has studied the weather
OF Kansas 81 years, and supports his
theory by argument, which is the re-
sult of much hard study and close OBJ
servation. In talking of the question
as to the source of Kansas rainfall, DR..
Snow recently said:
Notwithstanding the deficiency of
snow in the Rocky mountain region last
winter, the rainfall of Kansas in March
and April greatly exceeded the normal
amount and furnished sufficient re-
futation of the theory that Kansas rain
fall depends upon the mountain snow. I
The most probable source of the moist
ure which produces the Kansas rainfall
is the Gulf OF Mexico. The prevailing
winds Of Kansas IN the latter part of
spring, the entire summer, and the first
half Of autumn, are from the south and
southwest"
DR.. Shows theory IS that the winds
% western Kansas come from across the
hot, sandy country Of New Mexico and
western Kansas, and that the winds of
eastern Kansas come from the gulf.
The mOisture-laden winds of eastern
Kansas blow over central northern Tex
as, central Oklahoma and after crossing
Kansas take a northwestern course
through southeastern Nebraska, north
western Missouri and over Iowa. This
territory is in the rainbelt and is not
subject to dry seasons as in western
Kansas and parts of other states over
which the dry, hot winds from the far
southwest pass. These dry winds, after
their course over New Mexico, and
western Texas, cross western Kansas
and pursue a course further east in Ne
braska than in Kansas, and then into
the DakOtas.
The sea breezes from the gulf of
Mexico, said DR.. Snow. extend west
ward into south Texas for a consider-
able distance, gradually veering to the
north and joining in the regular south
west winds, bringing abundant moist
ure to the eastern part of Kansas, while
the western half of the state, living be-
yOnd the mOisture-laden winds from
the gulf, has a different rainfall in each
locality according to its distance from
the northward moving mOisture-Iaden
currents.
Male Calves for Sale.