The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1907-03-28
Iowa's Mild Winter.

Iowa has just gone through a delight.
full mild winter, slightly colder than the
winter of l905-1906, but 7.3 degrees
warmer than the winter of 1904-1905.
The Iowa department of the United
States weather bureau, in it's February
report, gives some interesting informa-
ton concerning the winter, which
follows:
"The mean temperature of the three
winter months was 23.1 degrees, which
is "a degrees above the normal for the
state. The highest temperature reported
was So degrees at keokuk on January
18th. The lowest temperature reported
was 81 degrees at Washta, on February
9TH. The average precipitation for
the state was 1866 inches, which is .43
of an inch above the normal. The cold
est period of the winter occurred in the
first week of February. The winter
was slightly colder than the winter of
1905-06, and was 7.3 degrees warmer
than the winter of 1904-05. This illus
trates f1uctuation of the average winter
temperature in this latitude. Fifty or
sixty years ago such mild winters were
of frequent occurrence in this state.
The extremely cold winter of 1861
was followed the next year by season
of extraordinary mildness, as shown
by the rec ,rds of that period. Since
the earliest settlements we're made in
the territory west of the Mississippi
the historic records show practically
the same climatic conditions, with alter
nately wet and dry summers and mild
severe winters, as have been noted
within the last twenty years. On the
mild xx,int hnny, mo
in evidence than the opposite extreme.
The coolest weather of the winter
occurred in the first week in February.
This was followed by two weeks Of un-
usually mild weather, with favorable
conditions for outside work and the
care of live stock. The last week was
more nearly normal in temperature,
closing with an ice storm Of consider
able severity, though not materially
damaging to fruit trees and other
property. During the warm period con-
ditions were favorable for work in the
fields, and in few localities, a begin
ming was made in seeding spring wheat.
Wheat seeding in February has been
occasionally noted in moderate winters
since the early settlement of the state.
Temperature-The monthly mean
temperature for the state, as shown by
records of 116 stations, was % degrees,
which is 5.S degrees above the normal.
By sections the mean temperatures
were as follows: Northern section, 22.1
degrees, which is 5.S degrees above the
normal; Central section, 25.1 degrees,
which is 81 degrees above the normalS
Southern section, 27.7 degrees, which is
so degrees above the normal. The
highest monthly mean was '30.2 degrees
at Keokuk, and the lowest monthly
mean was 1873 degrees at Sibley. The
highest temperature reported was 6i
degrees, at st. Charles, on the 10th, and
the lowest reported was 81 degrees, at
Washta, on the 9TH. The average
!, monthly maximum was 55.5 degrees anc
the average monthly minimum was H.!
, degrees. The greatest daily range was
81 degrees, at Sibley and the average o
greatest daily ranges was $40 degrees
Precipitation-The average precipi
> tation for the state, as shown by rec
, ords of 126 stations, was II of an inch
! which is 80 Of an inch below tn
3 normal. The largest amount reported
: was Los inches at Rockwell City an
/, Thurman, and the least amount reporte
: was .O6 of an inch, at Stockport. TIL
: greatest daily precipitation reporte
! was 1.26 inches, at Britt, on the 2Stf
There was an average of 4 days o
S which .01 of an inch or more was re
t ported.
o Wind and weather The prevailin
h direction of the wind was northwes
X The highest velocity reported was ]
h miles an hour, from the northwest, q
t Sioux City on the LIST. The avcrae
e number of clear days was Il, parti.
$ cloudy and cloudy 8.