The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-08-30

precipitation of 1910. The six crop grow
ing months of 1911. April to September,
! since statewide observations We're begun
/ m lsS1- In some OF the western counties
! during that period
Kansas BreeZeS.
i The prevailing direction of the winds
/ that blow over Kansas is from the south
and from April TO October. except in tie
| southwestern portion of the state where
the wind from the southeast prevails.
During the winter season the prevailing
I direction is from the north or northwest
in all parts OF the state.
The difference between the wind velocity
in the eastern and western portions of
the state is almost as great as the differ
over the eastern third not noticeably
! higher than those that blow over the
other states between Kansas and the
Atlantic. The western third of the state
is one of the windiest inland places in the
United States.
In all parts of the state April is the
windiest month of the year, and the
month with the least wiEd is August
There is a marked daily variation in the
average velocity. The highest winds oc-
cur about the warrnest hours of the day,
in the afternoon; the lowest about sum
rise
High. northerly winds often precede
and accompany the advent of cold waves.
but 'blizzards'' in the strict meaning of
the term are rare
The most damaging winds are the not
Winds These usually occur during a
prolonged heated period and are com
monty described as being Like the wind
from a furnace" They occur with shade
temperatures from 100 degrees to 116 de-
grees, have a high velocity, and inJure all
growing crops in extreme cases kllllns
the bark and foliage on the south side
of trees. They are OF a very irregular
occurrence. The records are not sutti-
GENTLY definite to determine Whether
there has been any increases or decreases
in their frequency since the state was
settled.
Tornadoes of more or less intensity are
f1=f -.aFaf q
from year TO year. but no great loss OF
life or property has resulted from any of
them There is no complete record o. OF
tornadoes that have occurred in the state,
but from the published statistics Professor
Henry of the weather bureau has comput-
ed (NIonthly Weather Review, June,
mile square the probability (of being
visited by a tornado) is less than one
sixteenth of one per cent per century
Autumn and Spring F'rosts.
The average date of the last killing
frost in spring ranges with considerable
regularity from April s in the southeast
ern counties to May 5 in the northwest
ern. and the average date of the ftrst Kill
ing in fall ranges from September = in
the northwestern counties to October n
in the southeastern. This makes the
a yerage length of the growing season
vary from $50 days in the northwestern
part of the state to nearly 2o In the
southeast.
occurred over nearly all the western and
northcentraI part of the state on May q, |
1907 Killing frostS have occurred in Sep !
TENDER in practically all parts of the /
state the earliest on record being that
of September :. 1898. which occurred only /
in the northwestern counties.
On account of the dryness of the air {
in the western part of the state instances !
often occur where the temperature falls :
to freezing or even few degrees lower 7
without the deposit of any frost or any |
damage to tender vegetation.
Sunshine and CIoudiness.
The sunshine that Kansas receives each |
year is one of its greatest climatic assets
Pra ctically no other part of the Union, |
that receives as much rainfall during the |
season, is favored with as high |
percentage of the possible amount of sun
shine
july and August are the sunniest
months with averages from 10 TO 81 per
cent of the possible amount January and
February average the months with least
sunshine. their averages ranging from IS
to 81 per cent.
of the local offices OF the weather
bureau in Kansas. including the one at
Kansas City. Mo. where records of cloud
ness have been kept from p to IS years.
none has an average of less than 14S
clear days each year or more than 100
cloudy days annually At Dodge City,
which in general way is representative
If the western portion of the state, there
$ an average of but Il cloudy days