Omaha daily bee., 1917-12-09
OMAHA SH|vERS
ASMERCURY DIPS
Way BELOW ZERO
Coolest Weather of Winter to
Date Extends Over Wide
Territory; 13 Below at
"a. N.
SOME COLD SPOTS,

Pierre, S. u. .....--iIlCharles City, In. .--18
N. Platte, Neb. - sIDes Moines, Ia. III
81. Paul, MINI. Id Duluth. MINI. 80
Sioux City. Al. Miles City, Monte
WiIliston, N. d. --2slAmariIlo, Tex. 80. o
Bismarck, N. d. 81 Omaha ........ ..-ls
Omaha sh.vered yesterday morning
in the coldest weather of'the winter,
so far. The official thermometer at
the weather bureay touched Is de-
grees below zero at 8 a. IN. 1t rose
slowly tiqough the day, but the cold
snap Is not over yet. At 7 O'Clock
last night the thermometer registered
1 degree above zero, with indications
of d fall during the night. The
weather prediction was for colder
weather today.
The cold wave extends over a large
spread OF territory. Zero weather
prevails even as far south as Okla
homa and northern Texas and freez-
ing temperatures as far as northern
Alabama and Georgia. To the north
the weather Is colder than here, North
Dakota reporting as low as 28 degrees
below zero.
Fall Of rs Degrees. ~>
Temperatures in the central west
fell as much as 40 degrees in the "a
hours ending at 7 a. m. today. The
fall at Omaha was 70 degrees in that
period, from IS above to IS below.
While the present temperature is
about 80 degrees below normal for
this time of the year, Omaha has had
some similar cold snaps in the last
few winters. On December Il, 1916,
minimum of IA below zero was
reached. In January, 1917, tempera-
lures of zero or below were regis
tered for five days. .
According to the report to the fail
roads, Ericsson was the coldest spot
in the state. There thcr temperature
went to 20 degrees below zero. 1t was
II below at ONeill and Burwell, Is
below at Fremont, Lyons, Schuyler,
Ashland, Plattsmouth and Central
City.
Cold in Dakotas.
In the southern part of the state
and well up toward the central sec
tions temperatures ranged from 5 to
10 below, with slightly colder in the
northern part. Over the north line
and at Winner, S. D., the mercury
dropped to 20 below.
In the extreme western portions
temperatures ranged from 10 above
to 10 degrees below, with much
warmer in Wyoming. Sheridan and
Lander reported 20 and Casper IS
degrees above.
The railroads reported light snow
furries during the night and clear and
calm weather. No stock losses are
reported.
On account of the cold generally
trains were running late, the engines
being unable TO make steam. Pas
senger trains were 80 minutes late to
an hour behind schedules, with
freights off one to two hours and in
some instances much more.
Trains were sent out as usual and
those carrying perishable stuff taking
every precaution to prevent the con-
tents of the cars from freezing.
Cold at Norfolk.
Norfolk, Neb., Dec. 8.-The lowest
temperatures on record for this time
of the year are being reported today
in Norfolk and vicinity and in south
ern South Dakota. Two inches of
snow fell over this region yesterday
and was followed last night by a sud-
den drop in temperature, which
reached a mark of 80 degrees below
zero at Phillip, S. D.A according to
reports froI.: that place today. VIM
ner, Dallas and Gregory, S. D., re-
ported 20 degrees below zero, with
like reports from Long Pine and
Stuart, Neb. In Norfolk and vicinity
the temperature was recorded at ID
degrees below zero and at Lincoln II
degrees below. .
The extreme cold handicapped train
service severely and most trains were
running from one 10 two hours be-
hind schedule.
The surgeon generals department
has been officially notified of this
action, -.