The Topeka state journal., 1920-04-03

Kansas has enjoyed one or two mil
lion dollar rains this spring. Today
came the million dollar snow"
Driven from the east by a strong
wind, laden with moisture that snug
gled into the wheat as 1t fell, and coat
ing building and budded trees, an all
day snow has been saturating Kansas
with the much needed precipitation.
In Topeka at o'clock this after
noon the moisture measured AZ of an
inch with a snowfall estimated at 3.S
inches. In parts of western Kansas
the snow was drier and 1t piled into
winter drifts. In other parts of the
state the snow and rain fell intermit-
tently.
The storm ragged in near-blizzard
form in Topeka all day. Melting al
most as quickly as it fell the air was
white with snowflakes during the
morning. At noon II began to collect
and by the middle of the afternoon the
streets were covered with a wet white
slush. In the residence sections of the
city the heavily budded trees were
mass of towering, glistening castles.
Motor cars, street cars and other We
hicles were travelling palaces of white
"a rather unusual sight in April.
A "White Easter"
It's to be a White Easter tomor-
row. That's the prediction.
Sounds like bad news for pretty
Easter bonnets, chic spring suits, and
the snappy loW-cuts with the large
flowing bows. Encased in the newest
spring stockings, after the deluge of
wool during the winter neat little an
lxIes are going to be mighty chilly in
the temperature of between 20 and 20
degrees, that Flora predicts for the
morning.
It's to be cold and cloudy. The
snow will probably be over by Easter
morning. In the afternoon the sun
,,,a ~ china for TINA hut fenUaratlreg
will not rise much above 55 degrees.
Despite the surprise to many per-
sons of snow storm in April. it often
occurs, according to S. D. Flora, state
meteorologist. Snowfall in May is
mere unusual, but the records even
show snow in that month.
The heaviest snowfall in April in To-
peka was 6.9 inches on April 1-2, 1901.
Three and two-tenths inches fell on
April 3, 1903. Two inches were re-
corded on April 8, 1912, and two
inches on April 8, 1899. Heavy SHOWS
were recorded on April 16 and 29, in
1907. One inch of snow fell on April
7. 1915. There are other records of
traces of snow and light flurries.
The heaviest, record-breaking snow
was three and three-tenths inches on
May 3. 1907.
Should the snow continue during
the day and tonight, and tempera-
lures drop to the low figure predicted
by Flora. the snow will stay on the
ground and a white Easter will re-
suit.
Records of precipitation in other
Kansas towns follow: Concordia, SOL;
Hanover, 80; Salina, 1902; McPher-
son, Sc; Sedan, 80; Wichita. .16.
Practically every other weather station
in Kansas reported some precipitation
in the form of rain or snow. Snow
was also reported in Colorado, Wyo-
ming and South Dakota.
The temperature here at a. m. was
81 degrees. 1t was 80 degrees two
hours later. It dropped to 80 at 2
o'clock. Temperatures have been
slowly falling since Friday afternoon.
The low temperature on the weather
map was below zero at Prince AL
bert, Canada.
Extremes for this date were s5 in
1898 and q in 1899. At 10 o'clock
this morning the wind was blowing 20
miles an hour from the northeast.
Frost Didn't Damage Fruit
Fruit sustained no damage from the
freeze Thursday night, according 70
o. F. Whitney, secretary OF the State
Horticultural society. Plum and april
cot blossoms were far enough along to
suffer. but the frost was not killing.
Foot Snow Mt Salina.
More than a foot of snow had fallen
in Salina a 1 p. m. and the fall con-
tinued.
ConcOrdia Snowfall Inches.
Concoriia, Kan, April 3. - Heavy
snow. which began falling last night
driven by a high wind. is continuing
This morning The snowfall ranges
from inches to a foot deep over
western Kansas. The moisture will be
beneficial to the wheat but the cold
is causing some suffering to stock.
Storm Extends West to Utah.
Lincoln, April S.--A general snow
storm with low temperatures prevailed
in Nebraska today. Weather bureau
CONTINUED on Page Two.)