THE RECORD-BREAKING DR DUGHT, HEAT, AND DUST STORMS < )F 19341 By LYLYAN H. BLOCK The spring and summer of 1934 stations. In April, ten South Dakota brought by far the hottest weather, stations equalled or exceeded their the most severe drought and the worst previous high temperatures for the dust storms the country east of the month, and while all stations broke Rocky Mountains has ever experienc- May records, seven of these stations ed in its climatological history. suffered the highest temperatures By late August, 24 states with a they had ever recorded. In July, population of more than 27 millions phenomenally high temperatures set had been seriously affected. Never be- in on the 9th and prevailed with such fore had there been so little rain persistency that when the heat wave over so wide a territory throughout terminated on the 24th, new all-time the growing season. Like the depres- records for heat had been established sion, the drought made itself felt as throughout the State. At Pukwana an international disaster. The list of and Pollock, a maximum temperature countries in the line-up reads almost of 118° F. surpassed the previous rec- like a roster of the world's best ord of 117° F. at Kennebec in July, farm lands. 1933. August records for the month Extent of drought zone.—Roughly were broken, and more than a dozen speaking, the drought zone extends stations equalled or exceeded their from the interior of Russia across all-time records. Germany and the Danube Basin, From June 19 to August 21, not a across France, the North Atlantic single day passed without a tempera- Ocean, the United States, and Can- ture of 100° or more being registered ada. Within this vast zone there at some place in the country (exclud- were damp spots, but as a whole it ing desert stations like Yuma and was deficient in moisture. In a mea- Phoenix, Ariz., where such tempera- sure, Argentina and Australia have tures are normal). During this somewhat the same story to tell. scorching period, maxima of 119° oc- Unusually high spring and sum- curred in more than one State. mer temperatures. — "The excess "At Columbia, Mo., the average above normal temperature in many maximum temperature for July was places was nearly twice as great as 100° F.; at Oklahoma City, Okla., that for the previous warmest sum- 100; Topeka, Kans., 102; and Fort mer of record."2 New hi

Unauthenticated | Downloaded 09/24/21 11:18 AM UTC Dust storms. — The interim from that top soil, whether sand or loam, September, 1933 to autumn 1934 was was ever ready for an aerial journey. a veritable nightmare to thousands of Fields were reported blown clear of people in South Dakota, North Da- plowed soil in Minnesota or stripped kota, Minnesota, Nebraska and Iowa, to hard pan in Nebraska. Innumer- the five states comprising the heart able tons of highly pulverized soil of the drought area during the suc- were whirled into the air to collect in cession of highly arid autumn, win- weed-choked fences, drift around ter and spring trees, block highways, fill drainage Constant soil blowing was the usual ditches. Even after costly removal by order of the day. Especially were the snow plows, both the denuded areas high winds and storms attended by and the regions of deposition carried dust—at times depriving the night of the subsequent menace of local floods stars and the day of the sun. Occa- owing to the greatly impaired drain- sionally dust-storms raged for days, age. and twice they overspread nearly half The human side of the dust storm the United States, as in the instances is heart rending. In the sandy pota- of November and May.3 Others vary- to-growing districts of western Min- ing in severity and duration quickly nesota, it was necessary for people to followed in the wake of their prede- wear cloth over their faces when go- cessors. During April, for example, ing out of doors. Growing vegetables Iowa reported dust storms on 22 days. and even ripened fruits were injured, Rain in one area was no assurance machinery damaged, windows and that dust in quantity would not be windshields rendered partly opaque, blown in from another. Nor was the paint jobs ruined, visibility reduced thirsty soil likely to remain stable and travel made hazardous. long in the temporarily moisture- The parching air of low relative blessed locality. humidity was suffocating to animals Dust storms were frequent also in and persons alike—even deaths being drought states outside the worst reported from this cause. Closed win- drought area, and continued well into dows did not suffice to prevent dust August. Perhaps the storms which being driven into homes and places of most etched their record on the land- business, where it entailed an un- scape were the ''black blizzards" ori- heard of amount of subsequent house- ginating in South Dakota in April cleaning and loss in value to merchan- and May, which latter month marked dise. Moreover, having to sleep with the end of the driest nine-months pe- closed windows and little ventilation riod recorded in that State and some night after night was declared by adjoining sections. There were great many to be a most trying experience. dust storms in Manitoba, too. However, the economic loss result- While there cannot be said to have ing from the snarling of highway and been marked increase in the steadi- street traffic, as well as other enum- ness and velocity of the winds, there erated losses, is comparatively minor was marked increase in their dam- when compared with the great agri- age. Sustained heat and aridity had cultural loss where grain was blown so dessicated the vegetative cover out of the ground before it took root and even while it lay dormant after sSee BULLETIN, Feb., pp. 31-35; April, pp. 107-109; Aug.-Sept., pp. 194-198; Monthly reseeding, adding insult to injury, so Weather Review, v. 62, Jan., pp. 12-15; May, to speak. Whereas drought itself was p. 162, 1934.

Unauthenticated | Downloaded 09/24/21 11:18 AM UTC only a temporary menace, erosion and open as during the winter just brought permanent ruin. The story past. is one of repeated relief and replant- Similarly, chinch bugs rode in on ing until in the end there was no the drought and hot weather. Large- harvest for even the thriftiest. ly unhampered in their migrations, Late spring rains give temporary they pursued with abnormally large relief.—Rains of the Northwest in numbers and damage their custom- late May and early June were worth ary seasonal life history in the millions to the Government and far- Corn Belt, infesting first the wheat mers alike—though not fully break- and small grains, and then the corn. ing the drought of the preceding 6 With the wheat crop so deeply cut months, it is true—for need of econom- by the drought, corn was precious ic relief was somewhat lessened, and and must not be lost. Accordingly, a soil was reconditioned for prompt $1,000,000 appropriation was made germination of quick-growing second- to aid in reducing chinch bug ravages crop plants to replace seed which had and in mitigating the hazard for next been blown from the soil. summer. So dreadful was their on- New courage was given—for this slaught in certain sections of Illinois entirely normal rain was brought by and elsewhere that there came the an- a northwesterly storm that followed omaly of World's Fair officials ac- the normal storm tracks that swing cepting quantities of the pests as "ad- deeply south into the country and mission tickets." They have spread dominate most of the weather of the over territory far to the north of Northwest and West. their usual range, owing to a suc- Insect pests.—While the farmer cession of hot, dry summers in the was making a noble stand to save his past few years. They were rated as herds during the close of winter, new "bad" well up into central Iowa.* In enemies lined up against him. The fact, farmers in the northern mid- unabated heat and drought gave aid western states entirely abandoned to some of his worst foes among in- considerable fields because of destruc- sect pests and plant diseases. tion by drought and chinch bugs. The return of the grasshopper "Wheat in the Ohio valley was sub- scourge, for example, dating from the jected to a severe attack of Hessian drought years of 1930, to the region Fly, and near the headwaters of the from North Dakota and New Mexi- Ohio there was a serious outbreak of co west to California was considered the black grain-stem sawfly. Red by some as second only to the drought. spider, favored by the drought, at- In severely tried areas a desperate tacked a great variety of plants over stand against them was taken by a all of the eastern half of the country corps of farmers and scientists until except the Southeastern states and at length the grasshoppers perished New England. Corn earworm was by an excess of the same conditions troublesome over practically the en- apparently which had originally fost- tire United States."* ered them: "burned to a crisp along Decimation of cattle.—Because of with the vegetation." In various sec- non-continuance of Government re- tions, however, the situation remained lief after spring grasses should have serious into August and made pos- greened up but did not, owing to sible another bad 'hopper' year in drought and dust storms, many choice 1935, should this winter remain warm cattle lingered on subsistence rations

Unauthenticated | Downloaded 09/24/21 11:18 AM UTC for a time and then perished. Already Others "releaved" or bloomed out of in May the intense heat had doomed season. Still others sacrificed their a million cattle to early slaughter. tops, as was the case in the National Forage relief had been given earlier, and State Forests. Windbreaks on the but now the calamity affected all the prairies suffered tragically; many herds of the stricken areas, and gov- like the proverbially long-rooted al- ernmental purchases of cattle to be falfa plants, unable $o travel the processed for unemployed relief took last mile with the drought, are en- place on a large scale. And although tirely dead. All this—the cumulative the decimation of herds was consider- effect of 3 to 5 years drought! A ably abated following the coming of strange picture one sees — large rain and cooler weather in August stretches of land devoid of normal and September, the price of meat has vegetative cover are left to the in- already risen during the last quarter vading Russian thistle, a ruthless of 1934, and it is no idle guess that weed. Touching scenes were those regardless of the large amount of when enterprising farmers harvested meats processed from animals pur- and stacked the Russian thistle as a chased by the Government, the "forage crop" on land once lush with butcher's bill will be high in 1935. grains, in hope of saving some of the Except in parts of the northern cattle that would otherwise have to states where the first frosts were be sacrificed, assuming, of course, very untimely, some of the drought that this winter even a Russian and heat damage was retrieved by thistle stack would look better to an partial harvests of late-sown forage animal than a snow bank. crops where complete crop failure Depletion of seed grain stock.— had preceded. The potential stocks of seed grains How native vegetation fared.—The lost with the year's blighted crops, as drought took its toll of wild plants as pointed out by Sec'y Wallace in his well as cultivated crops, but the na- North Dakota address, embodied the tive plants on the whole suffered less result of many years' labor on the than the short-rooted introduced part of plant breeders—a stock which crops. The same was true of the cannot be built up again short of sev- trees. eral years' active propagation. Shallow-rooted wayside weeds were Grain crops will be planted in the already dead in June. Many spring Northwest again, of course, but seeds flowers had their blossoming season shipped from a distance will not be forced. Still later ones suffered death readily suitable. Wheat grown in or dwarfing and failed to produce Dakota from Wisconsin seed will not seed. This was responsible in a mea- yield as good a crop, or resist dis- sure for the clean autumn roadsides eases so well as wheat from the new- which, with the coming of the rain, ly wiped-out stock of native seed. suggested the return of another Thus it is suspected that new im- springtime. petus will be given to the development Millions of dead trees are to be of new strains of wheat, corn and seen—the toll of a flameless forest grasses intimately adapted to special fire. Various gradations are visible. regions, for the two great industries Some trees fought nobly with search- which suffer most from drought— ing roots and leaves which were agriculture and grazing—are as yet smaller and scantier than usual. well short of being adequately ad-

Unauthenticated | Downloaded 09/24/21 11:18 AM UTC justed to well-known facts of climate. Several communities on Lakes Michi- In addition, owing to the use of in- gan and Huron, which reached their ferior seeds in lieu of vanishing lowest levels in history, were com- stocks of specialized seeds, a need for pelled to extend water works farther building up a reserve of special seeds into the lakes because of the marked for emergency planting, as well as recession of the shore. So, too, outlets stores of grain for flour and feed to of sewers left high and dry became a stand sieges of other drought years menace to health. to come may yet be recognized.* There was trouble also for cer- Low water levels.—The unparalleled tain harbors whose normal depth of drought showed up in greatly reduc- water was but slightly more than the ed water levels in the ground and deepest draught of lake steamers. lakes and rivers. Never before were Even a drop of one foot often there noted such low water stages makes it difficult for a large boat to for streams in the great area between maneuver properly. As early as June, the Rockies and Appalachians. Many Lakes Michigan, Erie and Ontario ponds and some northern lakes dried were over 1.5 feet lower than the up entirely. Reduced levels of others average of the past 10 years for that resulted in extensive loss of trees. month. Accordingly, as summer ad- The Mississippi at St. Louis reached vanced, lightened cargoes became nec- a record low stage in July. Near essary. Canadian ships were lighten- Wichita, the Arkansas, listed as a ed before entering St. Lawrence can- navigable river, was dried up by the als. Consequently, vessel owners lost drought at an early date. The Col- heavily through reduction of valuable orado was exceptionally low and the cargo space. Red River of the North was complete- Great Salt Lake, on the other side ly dry in certain sections where of the drought belt, because of its steamboats once plied. The Columbia extremely low level afforded conven- river, on the other hand, fed by the ient bathing only by riding from the abundant Northwestern precipitation famous Saltair Beach in a tram. of the past cool season, was -reported Forest fires.—A large increase in as carrying more water than all the forest fires was noted. An increase of streams of the arid region combined. 66% over the average for the past Although the Florida drought was three years was reported in July. By earlier than the general drought it the middle of August, as if seeking to was broken sooner. Near Tallahassee, head the list of national woes that swamps, and small ponds were with- had arisen from the drought, 6,973 out standing water for 18 months. fire-blackened areas recorded the When mud, too, was absent, these were year's destruction from forest fires. made accessible to exploring botan- This number, totalled by the U. S. ists and zoologists. However, the Forest Service, shows an increase dearth of rainfall was not sufficient of 2,727 individual fires over an av- to damage the native flora.* erage taken for the same period dur- The Great Lakes likewise reflect ing the last three years, and the area the protracted drought. Only Lake burned equal to one-third of the Superior, with dams at Sault Ste. state of Rhode Island.* Marie that keep the level up, was re- Proposed Shelter Belt.—The sum ported as having a level higher than of $75,000,000 recently designated for that of the 10-year June average. the 1300 mile Shelter Belt of trees ex-

Unauthenticated | Downloaded 09/24/21 11:18 AM UTC tending from the Canadian border to typhoid fever, though this increase Texas starts a project expected to was not so noted in states in which take ten years. Tinder dry State and dust storms were most common and National Forests of New England lasted for a longer period. Everywhere and elsewhere were closed to the pub- people were cautioned against using lic. water supplies of questionable purity. Glacial recession.—Marked glacial Unusual need for washing uncooked recession was also characteristic of (and possibly sprayed) vegetables western mountains, where winter and fruits was emphasized. A danger, cold and snows were less and sum- if any, is rather that of possible mal- mer heat and sunshine more. The nutrition of many children now hav- light snows of last winter and the un- ing to subsist on scanty and slightly usually warm summer rendered gla- varied rations. ciers on south sides of mountains Heat prostrations were relatively more hazardous than ever this year, more numerous in Missouri and Il- and exploring Nisqually and other gla- linois than in some other states of ciers was discouraged. higher temperature readings, calling Heat toll.—During August the na- attention to the fact that heat stroke tion's heat toll reached nearly 1500. bears little relation to the thermo- Although some deaths were due to meter reading alone, but is favored the use of automobiles, and attendant rather by high humidity along with hazards, it is believed that the intro- extreme heat and stagnant air, which duction of automobiles has greatly are often more prevalent southward decreased the number of heat pro- than northward. strations during hot waves, not mere- Rain-making.—Of all sorts of side- ly by saving many people the muscu- lights on the drought none, perhaps, lar efforts of walking but also pro- is more interesting than the query as viding them with plenty of breeze in to what happened to the professional calm weather.* rainmakers. A few plied their trade Artificial air cooling.—Varied were against a task much too large for the aids in conquering hot weather them. One in a southern state suc- and humorous the stories of just cumbed to burns received from how some people managed better than bombs he was dropping from an air- their neighbors. Noticeable was the plane. At the American Inventors' increase in domestic air cooling. De- Convention, a $5,000 prize for a lightful to World's Fair travelers "drought buster" was announced as were the advertisements of competi- available from a northwestern engin- tive air-conditioned trans-continental eer. None seemed forthcoming, though trains. And challenging to the more thousands of futile schemes proposed modern were the numerous advan- to break the drought were sent tages of air lines as compared with straight to Washington. surface lines. Emergency relief constituted the Health.—All in all, whether people major activity of the year. Through remained at home or traveled, the individual initiative, public confer- standard of the nation's health re- ence, State and National legislation mained high. In several of the states much was done in the interests of more seriously affected by the those who had suffered because of the drought, a rise was noted in the in- drought, heat and dust. cidence of certain diseases, notably While the faithful prayed in

Unauthenticated | Downloaded 09/24/21 11:18 AM UTC churches within and without States zens. And as is to be expected, the which had set aside days of prayer highest percentage of relief in any for rain others labored to set various State is to be found in South Dakota, projects under way. hard hit by cumulative drought of 3 Railroads announced emergency re- to 5 years. There 34% of the popula- duction in rates for shipping starving tion are receiving help, and 20 to 21% cattle and much needed forage. Con- in North Dakota and Minnesota, re- ferences were held to permit throw- spectively, the other two states at ing open for regulated grazing the the center from which the tendrils of game refuge of the upper Mississippi. the drought seemed to have radiated. Governors declared embargoes on In part, relief was direct, but to a shipments of livestock into the states much greater degree in the nature of for grazing. Once sorely tried Ar- public works. To meet the threat of kansas contributed 20 carloads of hay disappearing water, a far-flung sys- and cottonseed meal for South Da- tem of food and water projects was kota farmers. A parallel case of re- swung into action. States, too, worked ciprocal kindness was seen when Ver- untiringly. mont valley folk paid their flood debt Hundreds of deep wells were hur- of 1927 by aiding hill dwellers in the riedly sunk in Wyoming, North Dako- 1934 water famine. ta, South Dakota and other western or The federal program to buy beef southwestern states, making the pump and dairy cattle in emergency areas, and pump supply business flourish. to process cattle for distribution Farm ponds were built. In Kansas, to the unemployed, to buy feed for where water was being shipped into livestock, for retiring submargin- one locality at 50 cents per barrel, re- al lands and moving farmers from lief forces laid a pipe to a spring five hopelessly poor land, for buying feed miles away. In California, the relief seed for next year, and for expansion administration pumped water from of the Civilian Conservation Corps in Mexico to the Imperial Valley. acute areas was an outgrowth of dire In mountain states where levels of need and was promptly put into ac- lakes had receded greatly, outlets tion. were necessarily lowered to restore Thus it was that the drought added the flow of irrigation canals in an at- greatly to the Nation's relief load. At tempt to save the crops, and beat the an early date, well over a million drought. Road construction, too, was people were being supported by fed- speeded, relief funds in this case be- eral emergency relief projects in the ing limited to labor. drought area comprising more than The newsreel of the day pictured half the United States. As shown in the dramatic race to get water into "The United States News" of Octo- territories before crops were ruined ber 22nd, more than 17 million per- and to get cattle out to richer forage sons, or one-seventh of the total popu- before they became skeletons. lation was being supported by public At first in the case of the attempted funds. Although the states heavily removal of farm families from the stricken by unemployment account for sun-scorched western lands, the ties nearly 40% of those on relief, a that bind proved too much in most blackened section of the map is the instances for the FERA's offer of as- area where the drought made virtual sistance in moving to land that is paupers of many self-supporting citi- better watered. As has been true of

Unauthenticated | Downloaded 09/24/21 11:18 AM UTC many earthquake rocked, wind tossed growing season the American drought or frost bitten peoples, they preferred was reported as broken. to ''stick it out" and depend on the That the early June "Rain Drum- law of averages for new hope. med a Dance of Dollars on the Sun- As summer drew to a close, how- Baked Soil in the West" may well ever, the new "Go West" movement be granted, and that pastures, corn had gathered force, and more were and garden crops were great benefi- willing to seek new homes. The ciaries while small grains were be- Seattle Chamber of Commerce, along yond redemption, may also be granted, with railroad companies reported that but that the drought was broken was many inquiries had been received con- untrue. Because it was a normal cerning Oregon, Washington and Al- "old-fashioned" rain which was worth askan lands. millions of dollars to the heart of As a means of probable future re- the suffering area, and saved the Gov- lief, the Government will plant strips ernment similar sums in relief out- of trees in a forest belt 100 miles wide lay, it provided in three hours more extending from the Canadian border precipitation than had fallen in the to Texas. The trees, it is believed, will previous three months. New courage act as bulwarks against dust and was given farmers over the nation, sand storms and will increase the but weeks were to pass before rumor moisture of air currents. The area was truly superseded with fact. between the trees will remain in The long hoped for change was private ownership. noted in August. In mid-September, Although positive benefits of for- after a survey of continued strong- ests on rainfall are still disputed by rains throughout the great central meteorologists, the contrary view is valley, the drought was declared in sharply challenged by the Director of full retreat. September showed ab- the Northwest Forest Experiment normally heavy rainfall in most of Station, Prof. Rafael Zon, who is a the principal crop states of the Mid- well-known authority 011 climatolo^i- west, Northwest and South. The cal aspects of forestry and is now a month's soaking ranged from 213 per leader in the study of the best way to cent of the normal September rainfall accomplish the planting of the in Missouri, about the most afflicted Shelter Belt. of all the Corn Belt states, to just Abroad, foreign tariff policies were above normal in Arkansas and Ohio. changed. So serious was the grain Unfortunate North Dakota, how- shortage that Germany was com- ever, was still a drought state with pelled to suspend all import duties on only 58% of normal precipitation for grain until July 1935. Furthermore, the month."* In October came the the sale of potatoes for industrial glad news to the nation "No Doubt purposes was temporarily prohibited. About the Drought—Its Thru." Domestic bans and tariffs on certain products were modified. Muddy hailstones.—There are, of News of the breaking of Europe's course, numerous records of rain and devastating drought came in late snow discolored by "dust" of various July, when storms left heavy damage kinds but I do not remember having in their wake in parts of England, seen any report of colored hail. On Poland, France and Germany. the afternoon of May 12, 1934, a light Twice during the long, trying thundershower occurred at Lincoln,

Unauthenticated | Downloaded 09/24/21 11:18 AM UTC Nebraska, and in the vicinity, at- clone was a mass of Polar Pacific air tended by light hail. At the town of which was advancing rapidly south- Cheney, about eighty miles southeast eastward under the influence of the of Lincoln, the hail is thus described strong pressure gradient. Wind velo- by Mr. A. D. Rough, a resident: cities at the ground at the time of "The hail came in two periods with the morning observation were around an intermission of perhaps five or 25 m.p.h. The advancing cold front ten minutes between them. In the caused no rain to speak of in the first the hailstones were small at the beginning, gradually increasing until western Dakotas and western Ne- they were like marbles, some larger. braska, so that dust was picked up It lasted but a few minutes. In the in this section and carried aloft. second shower the stones were from Aided by thermal convection during the size of marbles to hulled walnuts. It was not the size of the stones that the day, the conditional instability in attracted my attention, but their the warm air was released when the color. Some of them looked almost advancing cold front pushed the warm as yellow as clay, and very much like air up before it. By afternoon, then, small balls of clay, the others were quite dark. Two large ones were moderate to severe thunderstorms brought to my room. They were very were evident along the cold front. dark and looked like a mixture of Probably the heavy rain from these Nebraska soil and water but had the showers cleared the dust from the ordinary white spot in the center. I suppose this (coloring) was from the lower levels before the storm reached dust that has filled the sky to such Nebraska, because no dust was re- great extent this spring." ported at the ground, but the follow- Several other persons at Cheney ing morning dust was reported at noticed the discoloration. For the Des Moines, Iowa. However, the 36-day period from April 5th to the upper atmosphere was still laden with occurrence of this shower only 0.08 dust which ought to have been thick- inch of rain fell at Lincoln, this est at the temperature inversion be- amount falling on the night of May tween the warm and cold air. As 3-4. During this period dust was the hail fell through this dust-laden recorded in the air on ten days, on layer, it took on a coating of the dust two of which it was dense enough to particles. The white center that Mr. obscure objects at a distance of 1000 Rough tells about seems to prove feet. The last record of dust previous that the warmer air mass where the to the shower was on May 9th.—T. hail originated was dust free. A. Blair, U. S. Weather Bureau, Lin- Another possibility for the forma- coln, Neb. tion of the colored hail would be the Causes for colored hailstones.— occurrence of a small tornado with The synoptic situation which caused the thunderstorm. This tornado colored hail to fall at Cheney, Neb., would have whirled the dust aloft. is similar to other situations that By the time the storm reached have caused great dustiness in the Cheney, the tornado would have dis- mid-West this spring. On the morn- appeared and the dusty hailstones ing of May 12th, an elongated low formed in connection with strong tur- pressure area with a central reading bulence within the tornado would of 29.56 in. formed a crescent-shaped have fallen to the ground.—Charles trough that extended from northeast- H. Pierce. ern .North Dakota to southwestern Heavy hail losses in western Can- Nebraska. In the rear of this cy- ada.—Loss to crops in Sastkatche-

Unauthenticated | Downloaded 09/24/21 11:18 AM UTC wan, Canada, by hail during 1934 was waves when the water is high have estimated at about two and a half great eroding power, being at a max- million dollars the latter part of July. imum when at times of high average Claims filed with the Saskatchewan Municipal Hail Insurance Association lake levels a storm drives the water at that time covered nearly 3,000 still higher and pounds the shore. quarter sections of land, according Shore currents even in quiet weather to the press report. These claims run reach velocities of 1 to 3 mi/hr and from 10 to 100 per cent losses, and average a little below 50 per cent.— apparently are stronger in stormy Leader-Post, Regina. (Courtesy W. weather. A current may extend a E. Barron.) boat and even drag its anchor against Heavy September rainfall at Bal- a strong wind. Furthermore, the shore timore and Washington.—The month- currents may suddenly reverse their ly rainfall at Baltimore for Septem- direction, or have a pulsatory flow. ber, 1934 (12.41 inches), and at This information is gleaned from an Washington (17.45 inches) broke illustrated paper on "Erosion and records of over 117 years. At Balti- sedimentation at Point Pelee," by E. more the month was the wettest M. Kindle, U2nd Ann'L Rept. of the September and the wettest month of Ontario Dept. of Mines, vol. 42, pt. 2, any name except August, 1933 (13.83 1933, Toronto, 1933.—C. F. B. inches), the heavy rainfall of August, Wind and water level at Montreal. 1933, being due to a hurricane. At —After an unusually dry month, and Washington, D. C., September, 1934, with a strong down-river wind blow- was the wettest month of any name. ing, the water level in Montreal har- There 14.42 inches, or about nine- bor was pushed to an all-time low tenths of the total, fell on six days record of 27% feet on Oct. 17, 1933. of heavy rain scattered through the The drought made the level 2 feet month. At Baltimore 12.40 inches, below normal and the wind seems to or about three-fourths of the total, have been mainly responsible for a fell on four days of heavy rain scat- further fall of 4 inches. The Cana- tered through the month. dian Press says that the previous low History shows that it is not sur- record of 27 feet 7 inches occurred prising for exceptionally heavy rains Oct. 29, 1911. On both dates there to fall in a drought series of years. was a strong SW wind, blowing down Similarly, unusually cold months may the river.—C. F. B. slip into a series of mild winters, like February, 1934, for example. These Niagara goes dry.—What the hydro-electric power companies have exceptional occurrences do not, as a not been able as yet to accomplish the rule, indicate a reaction to the other east winds have done. Now it seems side of the normal. Just why they that when the winds blow for several happen is a problem of air mass anal- days from the right direction even mighty Niagara is unable to match ysis.—J. R. Weeks. its momentum with their power. The Wind effects on Lake Erie's water water in the lakes is low in any event. The east winds have piled up the levels, shore currents and shore ero- currents above the falls and swept sion are nearly of marine propor- the waters of the lake westward pro- tions. An easterly gale may raise ducing a spectacle almost unknown the water level in the west end of before. Niagara in winter often is ice-dry but a stone-dry river bed and the lake to 6 or 7 feet above the low cliff is a phenomenon.—A newspaper water during a westerly gale. Heavy editorial, Autumn, 1933.

Unauthenticated | Downloaded 09/24/21 11:18 AM UTC China's Part in the Second Inter- 2. Barometric pressure lowest in national Polar Year winter and highest in late summer. By Caching Chu At Omei-Shan the atmospheric pres- In cooperation with the Second sure attains its maximum in Septem- Polar Year Commission, the National ber and minimum in January, almost Research Institute of Meteorology at the reverse of the conditions at sea Nanking established two mountain level. stations for the observation of upper 3. Omei-Shan warmer than Tai- air conditions in China, one at the Shan in winter. Even though Omei- top of Tai-Shan, Lat. 36°16', Long. Shan exceeds Tai-Shan by about 1800 117°12/, Altitude 1545 meters, and the meters in altitude and is colder by other on the summit of Omei-Shan, 5.8° C. in summer months (June- Lat. 29°28', Long. 103°41', Altitude August), in winter (December-Feb- 3383 meters. Part of the grant of ruary) Omei-Shan is warmer than funds made by the China Foundation, Tai-Shan by 2.6° C., thus showing to the Institute was used in purchas- the decrease of lapse rate in interior ing instruments for these two sta- of China in winter. tions. 4. Limit of monsoons. At the top While detailed records of these sta- of Omei-Shan no monsoonal effect in tions made during the Second Polar the winds can be seen, while at Tai- Year, and their general bearing upon Shan summer monsoon is still quite weather conditions in China will be evident. published in a special report of the Observe the Eclipse.—If any mem- Institute, a few salient points noticed bers are interested in making tem- during a year's observation may be perature observations at 15-minute mentioned here: intervals between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., 1. The excessive rainfall at the E.S.T., during the partial solar top of Omei-Shan, the amount col- eclipse of Feb. 3, 1935, please send the lected during the thirteen months' reports to E. M. Brooks, Lowell House period was 9225.7 mm., which sur- 0-21, Cambridge, Mass. Wind velocity passes the amount of precipitation and cloudiness observations even in received during the ten-year period general terms would also be appreci- 1921-1930 in Nanking. ated.

CORRIGENDA June-July Bulletin, p. 162. The num- heard on Mt. Washington several ber of tornadoes for 1932 given as times, but only one conversation has 153 should have been 152. been held. The distance from W. Aug.-Sept. Bulletin, p. 188, 2nd col- Hartford to Mt. Cadillac is 292, umn, 15th line from the bottom, not 280, mi. This is perhaps the insert "upward" after "displaced"; longest 5-meter radio transmission ibid., 8th line from the bottom, "for known. saturated air. The line" substitute "with respect to dry air, and". Nov. Bulletin, p. 269, 2nd col., 4th Oct. Bulletin, p. 239, 1st col., Mr. paragraph, the date given should be Hull's short wave radio has been 1862 instead of 1932.

Unauthenticated | Downloaded 09/24/21 11:18 AM UTC