The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1910-01-20
GENEALOGICAL DATA.
Statistics Covering Precipitation,
ETC., in Vermont as Compiled by
Department OF Agriculture.


The summary of the Chronological
data of the United States, compiled
by the Department of Agriculture
Weather Bereau contains the follow.
ing concerning the section compris-.
ing New Hampshire, Vermont, Mas.
sachusetts, Rhode Island aud Con.
necticut:
The section covers more than 3d..
900 square miles, the most import
ant mountains being the Green
Mountains, which reach a height of -
3S9 in Vermont at Mt. Mansfield. The
only lakes of considerable size are
Lake Champlain. western Vermont,
and Lake Winnepesaukee in New
Hampshire.
The climate is determined chiefly
by the passage over or near it of
areas of high and low barometric
pressure, passing over the section on
an average of each three or four days
through the several seasons. The
highs are usually attended by fair
weather and lower temperatures, the
lows with unsettled weather and
higher temperatures. During the
winter, the minimum temperature
ranges from A degrees in Martha
Vineyard to 40 degrees in Northern
Vermont and New Hampshire The
annual precipitation varies from 37.9
in Vermont to 40 inches in Rhode
Island
The annual average snowfall of the
section is 81 inches, ranging in the
several States from 9S.2 inches, in
Rhode Island, to $40 inches, in YER
mont. The smallest annual average
in the section is 241 incres, at Block
Island, r. l., and the largest amount
110.6 inches, at Jacksonville, VT,
Snow falls in measurable amounts
from October to May, inclusive. The
accumulated snow in the interior
and northern section is, at times, sew
eral feet in depth, and when this is
suddenly melted by rains or unsea
sonably high temperature, great
freshets result and the floods some
times cause much damage.
Early and late frosts are an i'm
tions of the section. In southeastern
coast and island sections are extend
ed and valuable cranberry interests.
The cranberry crop-of great value
is at times greatly endangered by
early or late frosts The average date
of the first killing frost in autumn
ranges from September 10, in New
Hampshire, to November Is, at Block
Island, R. l. The earliest date of
killing frost in autumn is August..27,
in Vermont. The average date Of
the last killing frost in spring is
from April 26, in Rhode Island, to
May 90, in New Hampshire. The last
frost in spring is from April 81, at
Nantucket Island, to June 80, in New
Hampshire. In off seasons frosts
sufficiently severe to kill tender veg
citation have occurred in polSPns of
the northern sections in all of the
summer months.
The prevailing winds for the year
are westerly. AS a rule the percent
age of easterly winds is greatest in
May and June. r
The average sunshine varies great
ly over the section. In some localities
in the northern portion the monthly
averages in winter fail to 81 per cent.
During the summer months and often
including September, the percentage
ranges from SO to 81 per cent, The
yearly average of sunshine, for. the
entire section, is about "a pr cent.
Fog is an irregular feature of the
, weather in coast sections and it Is
not confined to any one season or
part of the year. 1t is. however, most
prevalent in April and Nav