The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-01-11
Twelve Months Just Closed
Broke Rainfall Record.
Temperatures for 1915 Aver
aged Slightly Below Normal.
DAMAGE BY STORM AND FLOOD
Twenty Persons Killed and Loss
Was Many Millions.
Summary of Year Shows Many
Weather Freaks.

A record breaking precipitation
and number of cloudy days charac-
cerized the year 1915, according to the
years weather summary issued by
S. d. Flora of the local weather bu-
reau. Damage to crops and property
occasioned by the heavy rains ana
floods also exceeded the 29-year rec
ord. The rainfall over the eastern
third of the state was so per cent
above the normal. Records were
shattered even at stations where
weather records have been kept for
40 or so years. Following is the sum-
mary of weather conditions for the
year just closed:
The year 1915 had more rain and
more cloudy days than any other
year on record in Kansas and came
very nearly breaking the records for
heavy snowfall, as shown by the an
nual summaries of 125 stations of the
weather bureau which cover conditions
in almost every county of the state
Summer Cool; Winter Mild.
The average temperature for the
year was slightly below normal in al
most all parts of the state, while the
summer averaged the coolest on rec
ord and temperatures above 100 de-
grees occurred at only a few stations.
With the exception of a few short
cold periods, when temperatures be-
ties, the " inter months were abnor-
mally mild. February being the mild
est month of the name on record.
Rainfall so Per Cent Above Normal
The years precipitation Grain and
melted sleet and snow over the east
ern third of the state averaged 1910
inches; the middle third, $3.50 inches;
the western third, 29.S3 inches, and
for the entire state, 41.59 inches,
=
above normal and nearly twice the
amount that has fallen in any one
of the five previous years. Not only
did this break the statewide record
begun in 1887, but the record was also
broken at Manhattan, Lawrence and
several other of the individual sta
tionS where records have been kept
for the last 40 or so years.
The excess in precipitation extend
ed to every part of the state. Prac-
tically no counties in the eastern half
received less than 40 inches and only
few in the western half had a year
ly total of less than 80 inches. The
wettest month was May, with an aver
age of 40 inches for the entire state,
but the rainfall for the three summer
/ months, -Jupe. July and Augustt4Was
the greatest on record for that time
of the year.
Damage by Floods and Storms.
In many ways it was the most IA
vorable year for crops in long time
and yet the damage to crops and other
property by the continued rains
! floods, hail and tornadoes was the
/ greatest on record.
/ The estimate of the wheat crop was
reduced 80 millions of bushels be-
tween May l and the final estimate in
I December, chiefly on account of the
I prolonged wet weather. Damage by
4 floods in the eastern half of the state
was estimated at 100000. Hail
storms were unusually frequent and
widespread and an estimate of their
damage is placed at between four and
/ five millions of dollars. Ten tornadoes
that occurred during the year caused
the deaths of 20 persons and de-
j Struction of property to the eStimat-
/ ed value of 81 100000