The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-09-03
.CHAFFEE ISSUES
 THE CL|MATOLOCY
Shows What Weather Has Been
 in Birmingham
AVERAGE TEMPERATURE GA
Average Growing Season Is 231 Days. Annual Precipitation Is 53.o4 Inches. September Has Least Num-
 Der c. Rainy Days.

Montgomery, September 3-(special.)- Alabama for the United States weather bureau. has just issued from records of his office statement of the climatology of Birmingham, running back for many years. After noting that Birmingham is in latitude 33 degrees S2 minutes and longitude 36 degrees 50 minutes west, the statement of Chaffee continues
 Its elevation above sea level Is GOO feet. The city is near the center of a valley, known as Jones valley, which has gen. eral trend from northeast to southwest, and Is fianked on either side by low ranges of hills, which are two of several ranges that mark the terminus of the Ap- palachlan mountain system in this state. The population of Birmingham proper by the census of 1900, was 3S,0OO but with the addition of several suburbs, constitut- ing what may be known as Greater Bir- mingham,' this number IS increased to about 9O.OO0. The city Is in a district of vast mineral deposits, particularly coal and iron. the extraction of which con stitutes the principal industry. In the pro- duction of pig iron, steel and manufac- tured products it takes high rank. its min ing and manufacturing business aggre- gating yearly about $G0,000, 0O0 The sur rounding district Is not an agricultural section, though the soil in the valleys is fertile. Some attention is given to mar ket-gardening. dairying and fruit-grow- ing.
 HIi,.oakfN Da1NnI
 "The climatic record at Birmingham be- gan with a cotton region station, estab. lished by the United States signal service In April, 1882; this station was discon- tinued in October, 1886; no record was kept from that time until June, 1893, when voluntary station was established at that place by the United States weather bureau; this was changed to a station agency In September, 1S95 and to reg ular weather bureau station July 16, 1903
 The instruments are exposed on the roof of a nine-story building at the corner of Twenty-frst street and Third avenue This roof Is 50x100 feet, and the instruments are at It's southeastern end. The thermom- eters are exposed in a latticed weather standard shelter, their elevation being 136 feet above ground; rain gage above ground 12S feet
 Previous to the establishment of the picSSil Oillct, OtpleHDeT l, 15U0, Ine lneT- nometers and rain gage were exposed in a latticed shelter, over a slightly sloping tin roof of a three-story building. about two blocks south of the present location.
 Temperature Record.
 ''The records show that the average temperature for the period covered Is GA degrees; average for the winter months is 46 degrees; for spring, GA dgrees for summer 80 degrees; for autumn, 65 de- grees The highest temperature was 104 degrees, July 12. 1901; lowest, 10 degrees below zero, February 13 1899. The av- craze maximum temperature Is "A; .he average minimum, 55; the average num- Der of days per year with temperature below 32 degrees is B. Average date of last Filling frost in spring, March 19; average date of first killing frost .n autumn, Mo- vember 5. giving an average growing sea- son of 231 days; the earliest killing frost on record. October 22, and the latest April 10. In winter the temperature seldom con- tinues below freezing for more than three days, and snow occurs on an average of not at al,. The greatest depth recorded is inches.
 Precipitation.
 ''rhe annual precipitation is 5s.04 inches; the average for winter is 14SS; for spring, 1927; for summer. 1893; for fall, 796. March is the wettest month, with an average of 762; the dryest month is October, with an average of 2.34 The pre- cpitation has been as much as 1441 in June. as much as 1888 In August, and as little as 0.06 in October.
 ''The precipitation is usually well dis tributed throughout the growing season, being. as a rule, least during the season of gathering the staple crops The great est number of rainy days occur in March, July and August, each having an average of Il days, with .01 inch or more; Sep tember has the least number of rainy days, with an average of .05. The yearly average number of clear days is 1S3: partly cloudy days 72; cloudy days, 11O; days with rain, 94."