New Britain herald., 1918-04-24
SOLDIERS ESCAPING
RIGOROUS WINTERS
But Will Experience Long Damp
Spells in France
correspondence Of the Asso. Press)


American soldiers on the battlefronts
In France will probably escape our
American torrid hot spells of sum-
mer and our blizzardly winters, ex-
tremes of heat and cold in France be-
ing less severe. They may expect,
however, periods of sustained cold in
the trenches, cold of the moist, pene-
trating character peculiar to the con-
tinental climate Of northern Europe,
but in general no startling change
from weather conditions at home.
An exhaustive study Of the subject
by Preston G. Day, chief OF the eli
pathological division Of the Weather
Bureau, shows that winter in north
ern France is not SO severe from the
standpoint OF low temperatures, but
there is a consistency Of moderately
cold weather which is not usually ex-
perienced in the United States Rather
low temperatures som etimes occur
there, but such extremity Of cold
weather as has been experienced this
winter in the United States, is I'M
known. The coolest weather of rec
ord III Northern France ranges from
about zero, Fahrenh cit, to 10 degrees
below
Summers Are Cool.
Summer in Northern France is
cool, as impaired with most Of the
United States, the average -tempera-
ture for July and August, the warm
est months, being SO to 65 degrees,
even lower than along our northern
border. Moderately hot weather
sometimes occurs, but extremely high
temperatures, such as occasionally
in, n Of 11a
ed States, are unknown in France
Temperature as high as 100 never
has ben reported in France, while In
the United States 100 to 10 degrees
have occurred generally.
With the transition from winter to
spring the rapid warming up, IA
miliar to residents in most sections
of the United States, is not SO notice
able in France, the average temper
allure for March being only to
degrees higher than for February.
A pril and May are moderately cool
and not unpleasant the length of the
day increases much more rapidly than
in most sections Of the United States,
and there is a correspondingly large
increase in the amount of sunshine,
while rainfall is com paratively light
although occurring rather frequently.
Summers Are Pleasant.
The summers are pleasant as COM
pared with much of the United
States, the day temperatures being
mostly moderate and the nights cool.
Occasionally hot weather is expert
enced, but the heat is not 80 excess
sive and the heater periods are usu-
ally of short duration.
ISoI1 leo MI
pecally in September and October.
The rainfall usually becomes heavier,
however
The battlefronts Of France lie in
latitude north of the United States.
Paris is farther north than any point
in the United States, being 500 miles
nearer the North Pole than Chicago.
Along the northern coasts of France
temperatures are very similar to
those of our northern Pacific coast,
the monthly average at Dunklrk,
France, and Seattle Washington be-
ing identical for nearly half the
months of the year and differing only
slightly for other months.
Not considering the higher noun
tains. rainfall in the eastern half of
the United States, especially in the
south, is much greater than IN
France. Compared with Paris, the
average rainfall at Chicago is one and
one-half times as large; at New York,
more than twice as large and at New
Orleans nearly three times as large.
Over the lowlands of Northern
France snow is fairly frequent and
may be expected from November to
April, inclusive. although it rarely at
tains any considerable depth ON the
ground At the higher elevations OF
eastern and southern France, par
ticuIarIy in the mountains bordering
on Germany where the winters are
long and cold. snowfall is more fire.
he Iriar