Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-06
MARYLAND and Virginia Have
Rainfall Deficiency for
First Quarter.
DRY YEARS USUALLY
SUCCEED EACH OTHER
Conditions Similar to Correspond
ing Period in 1880 Noted by
Weather Officials.

with a rainfall deficiency during the
fret nuarter of the year In Maryland
and Virginia comparable to conditions
that precipitated the worst drought on
record. weather Bureau officials can
give no definite assurance that farmers
in this region will escape another sum
nner of severe dryneSS. Unless there Is
ample rain with a good Distribution
during the coming months. tney salo'
there is a potential danger in the Sltua :
ton because succeeding drought thlS
summer would be felt even more IMAM
last year. - r...o,,
In his office at the Weather Bureau
]. b. Kincer, chief of the Division OF
Agricultural Meteorology, traced WIN
his finger q chart of the droughtS since
1873. showing as he explained, tnaC the
general tendency is for dry years 10
succeed each other. But that ten-
dency is not definite enough Tor us 10
forecast accurately so far aheao' ne
said. 4,..,. :,
the drought. and even later, MI. Kin
GERS tabulations of rainfall show condi-
tions improved in Maryland and Vlr-
ginia. but still below normal. There Is
ample subsoil moisture, he believes, to
take care of the present needs OF the
crons. But studies made by the Geo.
logical Survey of deep moisture are not
so encouraging. Wells in Northern Vlr-
ginia, for instance, were still feet
below normal when they began to rise.
virginia Better on Than Maryland.
Conditions as a whole are somewhat
better in Virginia than in Maryland.
Last March was the only month during
the past II months Of drought in Mary
land that experienced normal rainfall.
The record of March was % per cent
above normal, in fact; but the preliml-
nary estimates for April reveal the
rainfall had fallen of to % per cent
below normal for the month.
From January to April OF this year
the rainfall of 90 inches, comparable
with go for the same period last year,
showed q deficiency of 4 inches.
Virginia had ~ inches more Of rain
fall during the same period for this
year than in the corresponding period
in 1880, the total amount for the three
months being 1912 inches.
The danger of another drought next
Summer. unless for the interference Of
nature, would be felt more keenly in
this region, Mr.. Kineer said, because Of
the total rainfall deficiency of 22.5
inches in Maryland during the entire
period Of II months since December,
1929. The deficiency for Virginia in
that period is 21.1 inches.
The greatest rainfall deficiency in
the United States during April, it was
said, extended in Wisconsin, Michigan
and Central Missouri and the Lower
Mississippi Valley. ranging from IA TO
20 per cent Of normal.
Exceptions to Rule Recalled.
Studies OF the drought chart, Mr.
Kincer explained, show that the trend
a. &c. 49,. 81 ~ AaA HNya "a
other But this does not always happen.
In 1894, the worst drought prior to last
year, It was followed by very dry year,
but the famous drought of 1901 was
succeeded by good rains. So also was
the 1910 drought in the West, but in
1924 Southern farmers who encountered
q disastrous drought faced another Pc
Rod of hardship in 1925.
The studies OF very deep moisture
made by the Geological Survey in
Northern Virginia are interesting, be-
cause they reveal that conditions below
the surface Of the soil are none too en-
couraging for this Summers crops I'M
less plenty Of rain follows. The deep
wells are replenished from the Winter
rainfall, and studies of particular well
showed that in two previous Winters
the water began TO rise in 1t during
January. This Winter, however. the
water did not begin TO rise until March
%. and in a period of three weeks the
rise registered only inches. But when
IT did begin 10 rise the water in the we'll
was feet lower than last year or the
year before.
The rainfall in Virginia last January
was only Al per cent of normal: in
February. 81 per cent; in March it had
reached 90 per cent. and the prelimi-
nary estimate for April shows it is APP
proximately normal
April rainfall in Maryland, which in
Guides the District of Columbia, was
approximately 70 per cent of normal,
compared with % per cent above nor
NAL in March. For January and Febru-
airy, respectfully, 1t was only 81 and SIS
per cent Of normal