Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1918-02-01
Sets Winter Record.
From the Baltimore Sun.

From the Baltimore Sun.
Boosting about old-fashioned winters is
out of date, according to DR.. Oliver L. Fas-
sig, the forecaster of the Baltimore, Md,
Weather Bureau. He says this winter will
almost certainly smash all records and es-
tablsh itself ss the coolest in the history
ofBaltimore and as the winter during which
snow and ice have remained on the ground
for longer period than during any other
And countrymen living in Baltimore and
Anne Arundel counties, who have seen
creeks frozen up since early in December,
who have observed fields covered with ice
and persons skating on them as If they
were ponds, young people who have en-
joyed coasting continuously for two months
and folks about the water front. who have
watched sailors glide over the smooth froz-
en- surface about their ships, will probably
agree with DR.. Fassig.
Il think this will prove to be the coolest
winter in our history" said DR.. Fassig, land
have searched the records back to 1881.
In all that time there is no period when
the cold was so long sustained as during
the past December and January.
IN December, 1901, we had eleven days
in row when the temperature was below
20 degrees, but the January which followed
1t was not so severe. In December, 1875,
we had l6 days when the temperature was
below 20. but that was followed by milder
weather. Back in 1881 we had period
of long-continued cold. But none Of these
equaled the record which December Of
1917 and January Of 1918 have established.
We had IS days in December alone when
the temperature was 20 degrees. Add the
number of days in this month when that
has been true. and we have new record.
When say that the temperature was 20
degrees do not mean that it was that all
day but that the minimum reached was
that or below.
mo records for single cold days have
been broken this winter. We had record
of below in 1881, below during the
1899 blizzard and the lowest in this period
was 2 below on December 80. And no
records for snowfall have been demolished.
In February, 1899, when we were visited
by the great blizzard which all Baltimor-
cans remember. we had 80 inches of snow,
which is our record. On that day there
was only one point in the country which
had more snow than fell here. That was
some point in Michigan, think.
Nor has the record for snowfall over a
given period been broken this winter We
had so per cent. more than our normal
quantity Of snow. but less than the nor
NAL amount of precipitation, by which
mean snow and rain. The temperature
records given here were taken OH the roof
of the Custom House. Our own records
show that it has been colder in the rural
sections and the suburbs.
81 think it is safe to say that December
and January will establish this winter as
the coolest in the history Of the city, and
we should rem ember that we still have
February before US. and February is win
ter month Of very uncertain temper. 1t is
never safe to guess about what Ii will do.
Every man or woman who has powers
of observation will agree with DIR. Fassig's
idea that this winter has outdone all the
old-fashioned winters Of local history in its
severity. This is particularly true Of those
who live in the country, where the evil
dences Of winter remain longer than they
do in the city. People in the upper part of
Baltimore county have been going through
experiences which beat anything they have
ever known before and make them think
of the New England winters with which
the Pilgrim Fathers struggled.
There are sections Of road where the
ice is frozen for inches above the highway
and where one can look through ii and see
the stones of the roadbed. Farmers visit
ing their neighbors have put on skates
and skated across fields and along roads.
There Is a field near the Timonium fair
grounds which has been frozen for weeks.
Crowds were out on it skating last Sunday
A resident Of the upper part Of the coun-
try who was showed in found some days
ago that he was forced to 90 to the store
for provisions. He took sled with him
and coasted the whole Of the two and
half miles home from the store. There
have been many sleighing and coasting
parties. Even the young people living in
the city have enjoyed ice-skating and
coasting to a greater extent than they ever
remember having enjoyed them before.
J.F. Hudson. United States agricultural
agent for Baltimore county, says that So
per cent Of the wheat crop in the county
has been destroyed by ice. and that large
part Of the rye, clover and alfalfa crops
has been ruined.
II have been in the Second, Fourth, Fifth,
Sixth, Seventh. Eighth, Ninth. Tenth and
Eleventh districts Of the county within the
last two weeks" said Mr.. Hudson. THE
greater part Of the wheat raised in the
county is grown in those districts. and
found ii damaged everywhere. Wheat will
grow under snow, but in many places. even
on high ground, Ice which formed weeks
ago is still there. That has smothered the
wheat.
II understand that Baltimore county has
suffered considerably more than the other
counties Of the State in this respect. A
member Of the faculty Of the State College
of Agriculture was here the other day and
he told me that conditions we're far less
serious in Hartford and Carroll, both Of
which he had visited lately"