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 JANUARY, 1873.

WAR DEPARTMENT,

Office of the Chief Signal Officer,

DIVISION OF

STORMS.

During the past month, the progress of twelve storm-centres has been traced on the Weather Maps of the Signal Service. Of these, three have crossed the country in a northeastward direction from Texas to New England and the British Provinces; five have moved from the extreme northwest eastward over the Lakes into Canada or New England; one from Manitoba over Lake Superior into Canada; two northeastward up the Atlantic coast to the Eastern States and Nova Scotia or Canada; and one has progressed eastward through the Gulf States, and thence northeastward up the coast.

Of these storms, the most severe have been that of the 7th and 8th in the Northwest, and that which from the 21st to the 24th crossed the country from Texas to Nova Scotia. The westerly winds closely following the centre of the former increased to strong gales, which, with heavy snow and temperatures far below zero, served to render it one of the most terrific which has visited that section for many years. The latter (that of the 21st) was very extensive in its effects, as during its course nearly the whole country east of the Rocky Mountains was reached by its rain or snow belts. Its northeasterly gales were felt with most severity from Lake Michigan to Lake Erie, and heavy snows fell from Kansas and Missouri northeastward to Canada.

Twenty-four cautionary signals were displayed during the month at points on the middle and east Atlantic coasts, and two on the Gulf coast.

RAINFALL.

The monthly rainfall returns for January from the Signal Service stations show that there has been in general a deficiency on the Pacific coast; but east of the Rocky Mountains an excess of rain and snow. This latter excess is most decided in Missouri, New Jersey, and Connecticut. A small region of deficiency also appears to extend over Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Alabama.

TEMPERATURE.

The mean temperatures for January, as given by the Signal Service reports, show that over the country east of the Rocky Mountains the weather has been generally colder than usual. This difference is greatest in the northwestern section, being in Michigan and northern Ohio about 6° below the mean temperature for the month, and from Wisconsin and Minnesota to Kansas ranging from 7° to 12° lower than usual. In the lower Mississippi valley, and also northwestern New York, the average temperatures have been from 5° to 6° lower than might have been anticipated, while this difference in New England and throughout the Middle States generally has been from 2° to 4°. In the south Atlantic states about the mean temperatures have prevailed, except in northern Florida, where they are shown to be somewhat lower, as also in the Gulf States.