USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Newburyport > City Officers and the Annual Reports to the City Council of Newburyport 1886 > Part 10
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KARL CASTELHUN."
November 6, 1886.
The board directed the use of this water to be discontinued, with the recommendation to the committee on public property that the pump be taken out and the well filled up. This has been done.
The importance of pure water for drinking purposes cannot be too strongly urged. We have a supply at hand as pure as can be found in any city and we trust some way, at some time not far distant, may be found to furnish our public schools with pure water at a rate that will be fair, equitable, and acceptable to our citizens generally.
We are pleased to announce that the meteorological observations so earnestly recommended by the National Board of Health have been continued under the direction of this board by Mr. Francis V. Pike, in the most thorough manner. The result of his observa- tions will be found in his report, herewith appended, and will speak for itself. We trust that his valuable services in this direction will long be continued.
236
REPORT OF THE BOARD OF HEALTHI.
The death rate in this city for the year is slightly in excess of the previous year, the whole number, including still births, being 243 against 239 for the previous year. For further information relating to classification of diseases, times, seasons, and comparative ages attention is invited to the tabular statement prepared and herewith appended.
GEO. H. STEVENS. Clerk of Board. Newburyport, February 28, 1887.
STATISTICAL ACCOUNT OF DEATHS IN NEWBURYPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 1886.
CAUSE OF DEATII.
Male.
Female.
Total.
January.
February.
March.
April.
May.
July.
August.
September.
October.
November.
December.
Under 1 year.
1 to 2 years.
2 to 5 years.
5 to 10 years.
10 to 15 years.
15 to 20 years.
20 to 30 years.
30 to 40 years.
40 to 50 years.
50 to 60 years.
60 to 70 years.
70 to 80 years.
80 to 90 years. | 90 & upwards.
CLASS I .- Zymotie discases :
Diphtheria.
3
5
8
111
1
1
1
Typhoid fever
1
1
1
1
Whooping cough
1
1
1
1
1
1
Erysipelas
1
1
1
CLASS II .- Constitutional :
Consumption
15
21
36
8
3
4
3
4
2
2
2
1
4|1L
8
5
2
2
Cancer
2
5
7
3
1
1
2
Dropsy
2
3
5
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
Hydrocephalus
5
3
8
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
4
4
Marasmus .
1
2
3
1
1
1
1
1
1
Progressive Pemisiur Aessemia
1
1
1
1
CLASS III .- Local diseases :
Ascites
2
2
1
1
Apoplexy
3
3
6
1
1
1
1
1
Abscess
1
Brain diseases
1
1
1
Bright's disease
2
1
2
1
1
Dysentery
1
1
Cholera infantum
4
8
1
1 6
11
1
Diabetis
2
1
1
1
Bronchitis
1
2
1
1
1
3
3
6
1
2
1
1
1
3
1
2
3
6
1
1
1
1
3
1
1
1
Cerbro spinal meningitis.
1
1
1
2
1
1
Hepatitis
1
1
2
1
1
1
2
2
1
1
5
1
1
2
6 6 3
Paralysis
2
7
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
3
2
Pneumonia
8
2
2
3
1
1
1
1
3
1
Peretonitis
1
3
4
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
3
1
1
1
1
1
1
Puerperal mania.
1
1
1
1
2
2
1
1
1
Thrombosis
1
1
1
1
Rheumatism of heart.
1
1
1
1
Inflamation of liver
1
1
2
2
2
1
1
1
Cramp .
1
1
1
1
CLASS IV .- Developmental diseases :
Congenital debility
1
3
1
1
1
Premature birth
1
1
1
1
2
Old age
10
4
2 4 1
2 3
1
6
1
2
2
1 10 17 2
Teething
1
3
1
1
Cyanosis
1
1
1
1
4
4
2
1
1
1
11 2
8
CLASS V .- Violent deaths :
Accidental
1
1
1
1
1
Instrumental delivery
2
2
Suicide
2
1
3
1
1
Hemorrhage
2
1
3
1
1
1
1
Alcoholism
1
1
TOTALS
110 133 243
28 18 24 17 25 14 15 23 25 20 19 15 45 14 14 8 2 11 19 15 15 12 22 36 26
3
5
2
7
1
Scarlet fever
1
2
3
2
2
1
1
1
2
3
1
.
1
1
1
3
3
5
1
12
4
2
Convulsions
Meningitis
Congestion of brain .
2
1
1
1
Heart disease
13
22
2
4
2
3
3
5
3
1
1
Softening brain.
Strangulated hernia
1
Septicemia
3
2
Chronie gastritis
1
1
Stillborn
8
.
2
2
1
1
Measles .
3
5
2
2
Cronp . .
1
1
1
3
2
9
1
Serofula.
2
2
20 30
2
June.
REPORT OF METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS.
To the Board of Health :
GENTLEMEN :- I have the honor to submit the following as the seventh annual report on the meteorological observations in this city.
The observations during the past year have been carried on at the same place and under the same auspices as those of the latter part of 1885, and have suffered no interruption from any cause.
The instruments in use during the year were the same as during the previous year, and may be enumerated as follows :
One standard J. & H. J. Green mercurial barometer, one standard J. & H. J. Green mercurial dry bulb thermometer, one standard J. & H. J. Green mercurial wet bulb thermometer, one standard J. & H. J. Green mercurial maximum thermometer, one J. & H. J. Green spirit minimum thermometer, one standard E. B. Badger & Son rain gauge, one U. S. Signal Service rain gauge, one standard U. S. Signal Service anemometer, with an electric self-recording attachment, one single cell battery, copper wire, record book, blanks, &c. All of the above instruments and appurtenances are in good condition.
By a long series of comparative observations it has been found that the Badger rain gauge is much more accurate and better adapted for its purpose than the signal service gauge formerly in use, and consequently all the records of precipitation for the past 26
238
METEOROLOGICAL REPORT.
year have been taken from it, while the old gauge has been used simply for making comparisons and for a reserve in case of acci- dent or injury to the Badger gauge.
The general conditions of the weather during the year 1886 may be seen by reference to the following tables, and the noteworthy characteristics will be discussed under their appropriate heads.
The normals given in the tables below are averages deduced from the observations of the past seven years, except in the case of the table of "movement of the wind," in which they are obtained from observations covering a period of only four years.
ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE.
This element of the weather is obtained from observations of the barometer, and in the table below is expressed, as usual, in Eng- lish inches.
TABLE I.
1886.
Month.
Normal.
Mean.
Dep. from normal.
Maximum.
Minimum.
Range.
January ...
30.074
30.015
-. 059
30.810
28.772
2.038
February
30.051
29.983
-. 068
30.750
28.904
1.846
March .
29.918
29.874
-. 044
30.586
29.237
1.349
April
29.937
30.125
+.188
30.612
29.654
0.958
May
29.974
29.899
-. 075
30.336
29.458
0.878
June
29.936
29.961
+.025
30.267
29.426
0.841
July
29.907
29.925
++.018
30.221
29.659
0.562
August
29.991
29.956
-. 035
30.374
29.476
0.898
September ..
30.056
30.125
+.069
30.501
29.589
0.912
October
30.092
30.163
+.071
30.607
29.675
0.932
November
30.046
29.956
-. 090
30.446
29.175
1.271
December
30.029
30.085
+.056
30.673
29.326
1.347
Mean
30.001
30.006
+.005
30.515
29.362
1.153
[NOTE. In the above table, as well as in all other records of the barometer here given, cor- rection is made for temperature, elevation, and instrumental error, but not for standard grav- ity, the reduction for which would be about -. 007 inch.]
The mean pressure for the year was 30.006 inches, which is .005 inch above the normal, and is the highest annual mean with one ex- ception since 1880. The highest pressure was 30.810 inches, on the 14th of January, and the lowest, 28.772 inches, on the 9th of January. Annual range, 2.038 inches. This extraordinary range of over two inches in less than five days is not only by far the greatest range on record here for an equal length of time, but it also far exceeds any previous range for the space of a year, and
239
METEOROLOGICAL REPORT.
even slightly exceeds the total range for the period of six years prior to 1886. The minimum, on the 9th, was accompanied by a violent northeasterly gale and snow storm, while in connection with the maximum on the 4th the severest cold of the year was expe- rienced. The monthly means were very near the normals of their respective months, except in the case of April, when the mean was unusually high for that month. This was due to a period of pleas- ant weather during which the barometer remained considerably above the normal for fifteen consecutive days. The mean for this month, together with the means for September and October, were the highest on record for their respective months.
Very great and rapid fluctuations in pressure were not as fre- quent as in 1885. There were only eleven instances of a change of over . 7 inch in 24 hours, and five of these were experienced in November-an unusual fact. Two of these abnormal fluctuation are worthy of special mention. The first was on the 8th and 9th of January, when the pressure fell 1.134 inch in 24 hours, accompanied by the heaviest snow storm of the winter, and a violent NE gale. the wind reaching a velocity of 53 miles an hour. The second oc- curred on the 25th of February, during a heavy SE rain storm, when there was a fall of 1.341 inch in 24 hours. This depres- sion was immediately followed by the memorable gale of Feb. 26th -March 2nd, during which (on the evening of Feb. 26th) the wind attained a velocity of 54 miles an hour-the highest ever re- corded in this city.
The diurnal oscillation of the pressure is well illustrated by a comparison of the means of the 7 a. m., 2 p. m., and 9 p. m. ob- servations, which are as follows :
Mean of 7 a. m. observations 30.025
2 p. m. 66
29.984
66 30.010 66 three 66 30.006
This indicates a fall of .041 inch from morning to noon and a rise of .026 inch from noon to night to be expected daily through- out the year. If the cyclonic and anticyclonic depressions and ele- vations of the pressure were to be eliminated, the barometer would show a maximum height every day between 9 and 10 a.m., and a minimum between 3 and 4 p. m., with secondary maxima and min- ima at 10 p. m. and 4 a. m., respectively.
240
METEOROLOGICAL REPORT.
TEMPERATURE OF THE AIR.
The air temperature is obtained from the readings of a standard thermometer, about 14 feet above the ground on the NNE side of the house, protected by a shelter allowing abundant ventilation.
All temperatures in this report are expressed in degrees Fahren- heit.
TABLE II.
1886.
Month.
Normal.
Mean.
Dep. from Normal.
Maximum.
Minimum.
Maximum for 7 years.
Minimum for 7 years.
January.
24.9
23.9
-1.0
49.6
-12.3
60.0
-13.5
February
26.9
23.6
-3.3
50.7
-7.0
64.0
-7.0
March
31.5
31.9
+0.4
62.6
-3.4
70.0
-3.4
April
44.2
47.5
--- 3.5
81.6
25.7
86.5
19.0
May
55.0
56.1
+1.1
84.4
35.6
96.0
30.0
June
65.0
63.4
-1.6
83.5
44.0
94.0
40.0
July
69.2
69.3
+0.1
95.2
47.7
97.0
47.7
August
67.5
66.3
-1.2
89.8
46.5
95.5
42.3
September
61.3
60.7
-0.6
86.4
36.7
97.0
36.5
October
49.9
49.7
-0.2
79.3
24.9
87.0
24.9
November
39.3
40.1
+0.8
65.6
19.5
72.0
11.0
December
29.4
26.0
-3.4
51.1
2.7
65.0
-12.0
Mean
47.0
46.5
-0.5
73.3
21.7
82.0
18.0
The mean temperature for the year was 46.5º, or about .5º below the normal. The highest temperature was 95.2º on the 7th of July, and the lowest was -12.3º on the 13th of January. Annual range, 107.5°. The extremes for the past seven years are, 97.0° in 1880 and 1881, and -13.5° in 1882 ; range, 110.5°.
The lowest daily temperature is to be expected at or near the time of sunrise throughout the year, while the highest generally oc- curs about 2 p. m.
The annual means at the times of the three daily observations are as follows :
Mean of 7 a. m. observations
43.2º
2 p. m. 53.3
.6
66 44.8
The difference between the temperatures at the morning and evening observations, however, is much greater in the winter months than in the summer months, as may be seen by the follow- ing :
241
METEOROLOGICAL REPORT.
Mean of 7 a. m. observations (winter)
28.4º
9 p. m. 31.7
" . 7 a. m,
(summer) 58.0
9 p. m. 66 66 57.9
The months of Jan., Feb., June, Aug., Sept., Oct. and Dec. were all colder than the average for those months, noticeably so in the cases of Feb. and Dec., each of which was the coldest with one exception for seven years. March, April, May, July and Nov. were warmer than the average, April being the warmest for seven years. The unusual warmth of the spring months caused the snow and ice to disappear rapidly, the frost to come out of the ground early, and the vegetation to be much more forward than usual. July, al- though slightly above the normal, was not a month of oppres- sive heat, there having been two days only (and these the only ones of the summer) on which the temperature exceeded 90 degrees.
Although the maximum temperature for 1886 was not as high, nor the minimum as low, as in other recent years, yet the highest daily mean temperature and also the lowest daily mean on record have occurred during the year. The 7th of July, therefore, was the hottest day for seven years, the mean for the day being 84.1º, while the 12th of January was the coldest for the same period, the mean for the day being -6.5º. The period of eight days from the 7th to the 14th of January (both inclusive) was one of unusu- ally cold weather, the mean temperature for the whole period being only 7.7º. It is a noteworthy fact that on one night only during the whole year the temperature failed to fall below 70º.
The days of exceptionally high maximum or low minimum tem- perature during the year were as follows :
EXTREME TEMPERATURES. TABLE III.
Date.
Max, temp.
Date.
Min. temp.
Date.
Min. temp.
July 6
94.70
January 11.
-1.2°
February 4. 66
-0.8º
66
7.
95.2
66
12
-12.2
5
-7.0
13
-12.3
6.
-6.7
66
14
-0.2
March 1 .. 66
-3.4
66
24.
-1.1
2.
-2.0
242
METEOROLOGICAL REPORT.
RANGE OF TEMPERATURE. TABLE IV.
Daily range, 1886.
Month.
Normal Month- ly range.
Monthly range, 1886.
Normal mean daily range.
Mean.
Maximum.
Min.
January .. .
54.9
61.9
15.8
14.9
28.8
4.6
February .
54 0
57.7
17.6
17.9
36 3
5.6
March
53.7
66.0
16.5
16.0
25.5
5.8
April
54.1
55.9
19.3
19.4
38.0
6.4
May
54.6
48.8
20.3
19.9
30.6
9.7
June.
46.7
39.5
22.1
19.7
33.0
5.1
July
44.0
47.5
20.4
20.7
36.2
7.6
August
46.0
43.3
20.4
20.2
35.4
7.6
September
48.3
49.7
18.3
19.5
34.0
9.7
October ...
53,0
54.4
18.5
19.3
31.6
3.9
November
50.9
46.1
16.2
17.5
30.1
8.4
December
54.7
48.4
15.0
16.7
34.6
6.4
Means ..
51.2
51.6
18.4
18.5
32.8
6.7
The greatest monthly range of temperature was recorded in March when the extremes were 62.6º and -3.4º. In June, on the other hand, the range was only 39.5°, the smallest range, with three exceptions in seven years. The greatest range for one day was a rise of 38° on the 21st of April and the least range was 3.9º which occurred on the 26th of Oct., a cloudy day just preceding the long rain storm of the close of that month.
As a general rule the monthly range is much less and the daily range greater during the period from April to October than from October to April. This is due to the fact that the monthly ranges are generally produced by the great oscillations of temperature ex- perienced in connection with cyclonic storms, which are most nu- merous in the winter and spring months ; the daily ranges, on the other hand, are principally produced by the diurnal changes occa- sioned by the local influence of the sun's rays, and as this is great- est in the summer months the difference between the minima of the early morning and the maxima of noon-day is correspondingly greater.
Warm and cold waves are wholly due to the former of these causes,-the cyclonic oscillations-and these are almost wholly con- fined to the months of Oct., Nov., Dec., Jan., Feb., March and April. In 1886 the last cold wave of the spring was about the first of March, and the first one of the fall was on the 20th of Sep- tember.
243
METEOROLOGICAL REPORT.
HUMIDITY.
Observations of absolute humidity were not recorded during the year. These observations are of much less value than those of the per cent. of saturation. (relative humidity) of the atmosphere, and are almost, if not quite, wholly discarded by meteorological bureaus. The relative humidity is determined, by the aid of standard tables. from comparative readings of the dry and wet bulb ther- mometers. This method is the one commonly in use for the pur- pose, but is not by any means perfect, especially in very cold weather when the percentages vary so rapidly that a very slight er- ror in the reading of either thermometer would create a much larger error in the resulting humidity.
RELATIVE HUMIDITY. TABLE V.
1886.
Month.
Normal mean relative hu- midity.
Mean rela- tive hu- midity.
Dep. from normal.
Maximum.
Minimum.
Range.
January .
66.1
68.3
+2.2
100
21
79
February
66.5
68.6
+3.1
100
26
74
March
63.3
65.6
+2.3
100
24
76
April
62.3
67.0
+4.7
100
18
82
May
70.1
69.0
-1.1
100
26
74
June
70.6
70.5
-0.1
97
29
68
July
73.8
72.6
-1.2
100
27
73
August
76.0
75.8
-0.2
100
27
73
September
77.1
77.2
+0.1
100
34
66
October
74.9
74.6
-0.3
100
28
72
November
69.6
72.1
+2.5
100
29
71
December
68.5
70.4
+1.9
100
38
62
Means
69.9
71.0
+1.1
99.7
27.3
72.4
The mean relative humidity for the year was 71 per cent, or 1.1 per cent above the normal. This will be seen to compare very well with the excess of precipitation for the year. The hu- midity was greatest, as is usually the case, in the summer and fall months, although it was generally below the normal in those months, and largely above the normal in the remaining ones. The excess in January, February, November and December was on ac- count of the large amount of precipitation of those months, while the excess in March is to be accounted for by the long duration of cloudy and rainy weather, and that of April by the prevalence of easterly and southerly winds.
244
METEOROLOGICAL REPORT.
Two periods of excessive dampness occurred during the year .- one from the 10th to the 13th of February, both inclusive, and the other from the 27th of October to the 3d of November, both inclu- sive. During the former of these periods the humidity averaged 93.5 per cent for four days, while on one day the mean was 98 per cent. The precipitation for these four days reached the abnormal amount of 4.78 inches. During the latter period (October and November) the average for 8 days was 93.7 per cent., that of October 30 being 99. 3 per cent .- the highest daily average during the year. A northeasterly rain storm, yielding 2.78 inches of pre- cipitation, prevailed during the first five days of this period, while during the last three days. although the storm had passed away, the dampness was so great as to be deposited in almost appreciable amounts in frequent dews and fogs.
The driest day of the year was January 18th, when the mean hu- midity was 34 per cent, while at the noon observation it was only 21. Brisk and high NW winds prevailed during the day, while on the day following there was a heavy storm of rain and snow. On one other date and for a short time only a lower percentage than this was recorded. On the 26th of April the air was very dry, the humidity at 7 a. m. and 2 p. m. being 36 and 27 respectively. About 4 p. m. the wind changed from S to W and NW, bringing a still drier atmosphere from far inland and reducing the humidity to the abnormally low figure of 18 per cent. After a short time the wind changed again to NE and the humidity increased quickly to over 50 per cent.
The humidity averages about 2 per cent higher at the morning than at the noon observation, and about 3 per cent higher in the morning than at night, though in summer the percentage at night generally slightly exceeds that of the morning.
PRECIPITATION.
The precipitation was collected in a new standard Badger gauge in a good exposure, 25 feet from the nearest building, and not interfered with by trees or other obstructions. In many of the snow storms the snow drifted to such an extent as to entirely bury the gauge and thus to render the measurement in that position valueless. In such cases the gauge was taken when empty to a
.
245
METEOROLOGICAL REPORT.
spot in which the snow appeared to be of an average depth, and there carefully inverted and pressed down over the snow so as to take up a section of the exact size of the top of the gauge. This was then removed to a warm room, melted and measured.
TABLE VI.
1886
Month.
Normal precipitation.
Rainfall.
Melted snow.
Total precipi- tation.
Dept. from normal.
Depth of snow.
No. of days rain or snow
Dur. in hours.
January
5.11
4.41
3.32
7.76
+2.65
28.5
21
262
February
4.58
6.10
0.65
6.75
+2.17
5.5
15
135
March
3.57
2.60
0.69
3.29
-0.29
6.5
15
158
April
2.89
1.80
0.06
1.86
-1.03
*
8
67
May
3.66
3.72
3.72
-+0.06
13
90
June
2.43
1.58
1.58
-0.85
11
100
July
3.42
3.05
3.05
-0.37
8
27
August
2.74
2.80
2.80
-+-0.66
9
33
September
2.89
3.32
3.32
+0.43
11
73
October
3.59
3.12
3.12
-0.47
10
111
November
3.33
4.22
0.09
4.31
+0.98
0.5
11
89
December
3.89
2.31
3.49
5.80
+1.91
26.0
17
182
Sums Means
42.10
39.06
8.30
47.36 3.95
+5.26
67.0
149
1327
3.51
3.26
+0.44
12.4
110.6
* Unappreciable.
The total precipitation for the year was 47.36 inches, or 5.26 inches above the average of the past seven years. Of the whole amount 39.06 inches was in the form of rain, while the melted snow amounted to 8.30 inches. The precipitation for the months of January, February and December was excessive, while in no month was it very largely below the normal,- April and June showing the greatest deficiencies. On the whole the rainfall was well distributed throughout the year, and there was no period of deficiency amounting to a drought even in the summer months. It is a noticeable fact that almost the whole rainfall of both April and October fell in a single storm in each month. all but 0.11 inch in April having fallen in the storm of the 6th-8th, and all but 0.34 inch in October having fallen in the great storm of the 27th-31st. The precipitation of January is the greatest on record in this city for any month in seven years. In February occurred the greatest rainfall in a single storm known here for a long time-the storm of the 11th-13th, often referred to as "the flood of 1886." In this mem- orable storm 3.30 inches of rain fell in a single day (the 12th), and
27
246
METEOROLOGICAL REPORT.
4.78 inches in 77 hours, the whole duration of the storm. And yet the rainfall was much heavier farther south in New England, amounting to 5.62 inches in Boston and causing the great and dis- astrous "Stony Brook flood," and reaching 8.13 inches and 8.93 inches at Providence and New London respectively. The rain of the summer months fell to a great extent in the night and in a very short space of time-3.05 inches in July having fallen in 27 hours, thus allowing an abundance of pleasant weather for the pursuit of agriculture and of pleasure seeking as well.
Thunder storms were less than usual in humber and were very unevenly distributed. Thunder and lightning was noted once each in the months of February and March in connection with the pas- sage of other general storms, but the first genuine local thunder storm of the season occurred on the 5th of May. In May there. were three ; in June, none ; in July, ten-all in the latter half of the month : in August, two ; in September, two ; in October, one ; in November, three, and in December, one. Total, 22-of which 16 were the genuine local storms, while the remaining 6 were mere- ly accessories of heavy rain storms prevailing at the time. Since so many of these storms came in connection with other general pre- cipitation, it is impossible to estimate accurately the amount of rainfall from thunder storms during the year, but it is probable that the amount is between 6 and 6 1-2 inches. The last local thunder storm of the season occurred on the evening of Sept. 19th. In connection with the heavy thunder storm of May 30th there was a heavy fall of hail, many of the stones measuring one-half inch in diameter. Hail fell also in the storm of July 30.
The total amount of snowfall. unmelted, was 67 inches, which is probably about the normal amount for this locality. The last snow of the spring fell on the 8th of April, and the first of the fall was seen on the 13th of November. The heaviest snow storm of the year was that of January 9th, when 13 inches fell, accompanied by a violent gale piling the snow into drifts reaching 7 feet in depth. The occurrence of two heavy snow storms in the first week of December, ushered in steady winter weather at an early date.
The whole number of days on which rain or snow fell was 149, and its actual duration 1327 hours, or the equivalent of somewhat over 55 days.
247
METEOROLOGICAL REPORT.
WIND.
Continuous records of the velocity of wind during 1886 were made by the self-recording anemometer, while the direction of the wind was observed at the times of the tri-daily observations only.
MOVEMENT OF THE WIND (MILES). TABLE VII.
Months.
Normal monthly movement.
Mean monthly movement.
Mean.
Max.
Min.
Maximum hourly velocity.
Mean hourly velocity.
January
5224
4790
155
290
48
53
6.4
February
5092
6005
215
673
63
54
8.9
March
5742
5672
183
503
67
37
7.6
April
4468
3885
130
405
79
36
5.4
May
4330
3910
126
268
61
25
5.3
June
3621
2860
95
167
10
21
4.0
July
3200
2271
73
149
40
15
3.3
August
3336
2753
89
151
46
22
3.7
September
3369
2858
95
168
52
30
4.0
October
4025
4111
133
391
49
31
5.5
November
4349
3963
132
288
44
34
5.5
December
4929
4915
159
325
48
28
6.6
Sums Means
51685 4307
47993
3999
132
315
53
32
5.5
1
The total movement of wind was 47,993 miles (equivalent to 23,996,500 revolutions of the anemometer cups) or 3,692 miles less than the average of the past four years. This deficiency is proba- bly due to the fact that while the anemometer is at a higher eleva- tion and in a better exposure in all directions than in former years, yet it is slightly interfered with by the high buildings on the west and southwest, the very quarters from which our prevailing winds come. This supposition is borne out by the fact that the deficiency is most noticeable in the summer months, in which the prevailing direction of the wind is almost always between W and SW. No just comparison. therefore, can be made with former years to show an actual deficiency in 1886. The unusually large wind movement for February was by reason of the unprecedented NW gale which began on the 26th of that month, and lasted, though somewhat abated in force, through the 7th of March. During this gale there were five days in each of which the total movement for the day was much greater than on any preceding day for four years, while for
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