Evening star., 1940-01-30
Liqht Snow Predicted
For Tonight as Cold
Eases Slightly
One or Two Inch Fall,
15-Deeree Minimum
Expected in City

A light snow was expected tonight,
with a fall of perhaps one or two
inches. as the intense cold mod
Grated somewhat in Washington and
adjoining States.
A minimum of about Is degrees
was predicted tonight, as compared
with the seasons low of sc early
yesterday, and tomorrow should be
generally fair, the Weather Bureau
said. The minimum early this
morning was 9.5 degrees.
The record-breaking cold was
gradually subsiding in many parts
!. of the East today, with generally
higher temperatures reported.
Minilnums were higher at Rich
mond, where the mercury sank to
II below zero early yesterday, and
throughout most of the Southeast.
Air Traffic on Schedule.
The smoky haze which hung over
the city early today cleared some
what during the morning. Air traf-
fc went through on schedule, and
yesterdays minimum of degree
below zero at the local airport
showed a 5-point rise early today.
The intense cold was modifying in
Virginia and Maryland, although
slowly. Sections of Virginia report
ed some of the coolest temperatures
in the country early yesterday, with
the mercury sinking to II below
at Richmond and Is below at Farm
vile, in the southside tobacco grow
ing area of the State.
Virginians welcomed at least a
temporary relief from the lowest
temperatures in many years. A light
snow was expected in the State to-
day, with cloudy weather tonight
and the mercury in the 20's.
In Maryland snow plow crews
sought to clear dry, wind-swept snow
from highways and secondary roads,
particularly in isolated communities
where the sick needed to be taken
to hospitals for emergency treat
ment. Distress calls were answered
in Talbot County, and plows worked
their way into of-the-way COM
munities where food and fuel sup
plies were running low.
Burials Reported Delayed.
Burials were delayed at Easton,
oxford and st. Michaels until the
cemeteries could be cleared of ice
and snow, the Associated Press re-
ported. At Salisbury 20 watermen
marooned on the mainland were
flown home to Smith Island in a
ski-equipped airplane. and at Girls
field Coast Guard cutter No. 288
and the oyster fleet remained ice
locked.
The January now drawing to a
close has been the coldest since the
bitter, wartime winter of 1918, when
Uncle Sans citizen army shivered
in flimsy, temporary barracks and
drilled on frozen snow-swept fields.
The daily temperature average so
far has been Is, or 84 below normal.
During January, 1918, the mercury
averaged "a, while epidemics of in
f1uenza and pneumonia spread death
through both the service camps and
the civilian population.
The only other January with
mean temperature as low as Is was
recorded in 1893, a winter of bliz-
yards and intense cold. The official
records of the Weather Bureau here
go back to 1871.
February, 1884, Colder.
The only other winter month to
equal a minimum of rs was Feb
ruary of 1884, according to figures
at the local bureau. The present
mean of Is was based on figures for
the first 20 days of January.
Some fear of flood damage was
felt, although this prospect was not
immediate. Small bridges in some
sections, however were being dam
aged by ice foes, and emergency
crews were at work strengthening
piers in Virginia as well as Mary
land
An Army bombing plane and an
observation ship from Boiling Field
here yesterday afternoon won race
by minutes and warned of an Army
pursuit plane about to land on the
icy, hazardous runways of Byrd Air
port at Richmond.
A sign hastily painted on the side
of the bomber warned the pursuit
plane, which had taken of from
Charlotte, against landing, and all
three service ships flew to Wash
ington.
Little Damage to Crops.
The intense cold in Virginia and
Maryland apparently has done little
damage to crops so far. Neither has
the cold done much damage to the