Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-02-03
DID GROUNDING
SEEITSSHADOW
Powerful Inteilects Grapple With
Question and the Significance
Of Correct Answer.
FEEL NEED OF LOCAL EXPERT
Complicated Situation PHzzles
Amateur Students of Science
of Ground HegOIOgy.

Experts differ in regard to the
Interpretation to be placed on yes
terday's weather signs, 1t IS pretty
generally conceded that the ground
hog did not see his shadow If he
came out looking for it in the
morning. and it also is reasonably
certain if he remained on the job
all day he did see it.
What actually happened appar-
emily is not known and if it were
Il is unlikely that ANYBODY now
living could place a correct in
depreciation upon il, for he place
Of expert in ground hogDlogy left
vacant locally by the death of the
Old Hunter never has been filled.
Seldom, if ever. has there been
such need for the services of one
we'll grounded, so to speak, in the
science
II the potent shadow must be
cast in the morning Their the pres
ent winter may be put DOWN right
now as almost a total failure. If
The shadow cast later in the day
HdN at - Oitth, BtSStoSGo that
mystic terror that sends ground
hogs back into their holes for an
other six weeks then there will be
six weeks more of Writer. Mark
the word more" It il is more o.
the kind we have been having the
farmer might as well 90 ahead
with his spring blowing.
There is. of course, a possibility
that the ground hog did not come
out at all yesterday AMI. on the
other hand. it may be that he has
been out all winter.
The farther we get into this
ground hog business the more
complicated it becomes and the
more helpless the ordinary novice
in trying to figure it out.
Much Sunshine Last Month.
There were only seven cloudy
days last month. with IA ciassed as
clear. The wind movement was ex-
ceptionally low, the total being
5.447 miles. with % miles an hour
on the It'll the highest velocity.
Aside from the low precipitation
and the even and mild tempera-
ture of all but the first eight days
Of the month, which rave been
previously referred to. these are
the striking features covered by
the monthly summary supplied by
Observer J. NJ Sherier, " hich fol
lows:
Weather: Number of clear days.
IA: partly cloudy, 10; cloudy, Z;
on which .01 inch or more of pre-
cipitation occurred, 3; per cent
possible sunshine. "a.
Barometer: Mean. 1910 inches
highest. 3O44 inches, 9th: lowest,
29.70 inches. 1st-
Temperature: Highest. SIS, on
the cath: lowest, Is below. on 4th;
greatest daily range, 30 degrees. on
Sth: least, 4, on 23rd; normal for
this month, POS: absolute highest
this month for AZ years, IS; low
est, p below; average daily ex-
cess of this month as compared
with the normal, Z; accumulated
excess since Jan. l. 21S.
Precipitation: Total for this
month, 0.07 inches; snowfall, 20;
greatest precipitation in "a hours,
OBS inch. in 31st-1st: snow on
ground at end of month. 90: nor
NAL for this month, 1.57 inches
deficiency this month as compared
with normal, $50 inches; accumu-
lated deficiency since Jan. l. $50
inches
Wind: Prevailing direction. w;
total movement. SAT- miles; aver
age hourly velocity. IS miles
maximum velocity flor 5 minutes)
% miles per hour from the west.
on eth.