XXIV: Results of Meteorological Observations, made at Williamstown, Massachusetts. BY CHESTER DEWEY, PROFESSOR OF MATHEMATICS AND NATURAL PHILOSOPHY IN WILLIAMS COLLEGE. Communicated in a letter to Professor Farrar. 1816. Jan. Feb. March April. May. | June. | July. | Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. 125.3 27.2 33.8 52.6 63 70.6 63.2 65.5 54.2 52.3 44.7 29.8 223.8 24.8 40.5 34.2 44.7 69.3 69 67.7 64.6 54 44.313.7 313 33 43.9 31.1 56.8 56.4 67.3 70.4 67.3 50.657.7 15.8 416.5 37 32. 43.2 61 56.8 61.9 66.5 62 139.8 65 19.1 5 26.7 23.8 27.5 52.7 60.3 68.8 64.8 65.1 62.6 44.2 55.7 22.2 614.1 19 29.1 51.3 56.7 43.4 59.7 63.1 61.2 41.7 39.6 32.8 713.3 20.1 31.5 38 48 43.5 55.5 64.5 61.6 34.8 37.8 38.3 8 6.7 5.9 14.3 48.6 41.9 44.8 58 67.2 67.3 45.4 43.7 34.2 911.1 10.5 6.7 49.9 44.3 48.6 54.5 65.8 57.6 57.3 37.9 20.5 10 10.3 14.9 15.4 29 50.8 44.1 62.8 65.7 51.5 61.9 35.8 22.9 11 9.7 20.5 [22.7 135.4 49.1 54.8 68 71.1 50.2 52.7 30.8 32.1 1219.8 29.8 32 37.654.2 65.8 65.1 69.6 52.546 26.6 42.2 13 8.4 12.1 32.7 35.8 55 62.4 65.8 67.1 51.4 19.1 28.4 40 14 2.7 0.7 35.1 30.6 39.8 69.4 67 66.3 56.454.6 34.1 28.8 15 8.68 16 1621.7 8.2 17 44.7 23.4 28.9 31.5 46.1 64.3 71.5 74.2 60.5 56.2 43 25 31.6 45.5 62.2 79.1 73.5 56.5 53.4 36.9 11.5 32.9 40 62.4 59.2 68.2 51.2 40.9 52.5 21.4 8.2 32.9 45 60.3 58.5 71.2 56.7 38.8 61.5 39 21.5 39.6 56.3 73.469.2 73.5 57.3 40.6 63.5 15.9 63.1 62.3 50.3 60.9 19 51.6 47.6 58.3 31.1 18.5 59.8 51.5 57.6 21.4 13.8 61.9 56.7 49.7 31.8 22.9 20 21.4 33.4 33.9 44.4 58.3. 56.6 71.8 21 30.3 32.7 30.5 40.6 65.4 64.9 66 22 31.4 32.5 18.9 42.1 67.3 74.7 71.1 23 32.7 37.1 31.444.8 50 76 73 2440.9 33.8 37.1 42.1 52,7 77.9 66.6 66.6 58 42.5 32.4 34.7 25 24.4 40.2 32.5 47.3 44.3, 56.7 60.4 61.3 51.9 39.9 23.6 44.1 26 31.1 33.8 49 50.7 53 61.8 62.5 63.3 40.4 48 23.1 42.2 27 11.6 29.7. 48.4 53.2 58 62.7 63.9 57.2 40.1 41.7 35.5 44 28 19.6 37.1 43 54.3 59.7 56.8 60 50.2 42.9 40.8 25.2 32.5 2925.6 40.2 27.1 58.3 47. 57.4 59.8 54.1 46.2 49.9 27.4 32.7 SO 13.1 30.4 63.8 58 58.4 62 64 50 55 40 18.7 37.9 65 66.7 62.2 53.1 30.7 21.03 25.15 29.35 42.6852.81 0.84 64.64 64.89 55.02 48.42 39.73 27.71 Highest. 53 48 67 80 78 90 190 87 85 73.2 71 50 Lowest.-13.3-8 -6.3 26.2 33 35 43 37.5 25.3 27.8 55 1 30.6 29 32.7 35.5 32.3 34.5 30 4 11 27 30 3 11 2 1 26 24 1.75 2.38 2.17 1.63 3.55 5.67 2.13 1.69 1.10 2.33 2.71 0.87 3126.8 Mean. Inches of water. 34 38.7 36 28- 28 29 28 *This line contains the greatest daily range of the thermometer, and the following line the day of the month when it occurred. The observations were made with a thermometer suspended about 6 feet from the ground, upon the north side of a house, and protected from the direct rays of the sun. Hours of observation 7 A. M. and 2 and 9 P. M. The above abstract contains the mean temperature of each day of the year, deduced from the three observations; the mean of each month; the highest and lowest temperature of each month; the greatest daily range of each month, and the day on which it happened; and the quantity of rain and snow in each month. Mean temperature for the year 44 35. 66 of the highest and lowest in each month 44.95. Quantity of water 25.98 inches. Winds N. W. 279 times; S. 95; S. E. 74; and S. W. 71; through the day N. W. 157. It is a common opinion, that the mean temperature of the place may be obtained from taking the mean temperature of its springs. The situation of the springs, however, must make some difference, even when there are no chemical combinations which affect their temperature. The following is the temperature of three springs, deduced from observations, taken each month in the year. The 1st 48°.39; 2d 47°.1; 3d 46 .11. The 1st is near a rise of land of 64 feet, and its temperature varied only 1°.25 during the year. The others are under very small elevations and appear to be much more affected by the falling of rain and the melting of snow. The temperature of the 2d varied 5°, that of the 3d, 18 during the year. The drought affected the last spring so much that its mean temperature ought not perhaps to be relied upon. Frosts are extremely rare here in either of the summer months; but this year there was frost in each of them. June 5th, at noon, " 20 the temperature was at 83°-a thunder shower had cooled the atmosphere 14° at 2 P. M. June 6th the temperature about 44° through the day-snowed several times. On the mountain to the west, and in Cheshire, Windsor, and Peru, at the S. E. the ground was white with snow-travellers complained of the severity of the N. W. wind and snow storm. June 7th, no frost, but the ground frozen, and water frozen in many places from th toth inch thick. Moist earth was frozen half an inch thick, and could be raised from round Indian corn, the corn slipping through and standing unhurt. June 8th, some ice was seen in the morning-carth very little frozen-no frost-wind still strong and piercing from the N. W. Cucumbers and other vegetables nearly destroyed. June 9th, less wind, and some warmer. June 10th, severe frost-Indian corn, beans, cucumbers, &c. cut down. June 11th, severe frost in the morning-temperature at 2 P. M. 70°.5. Ten days after the frost, the trees on the sides of the hills presented for miles the appearance of having been scorched. June 29th and 30th, some frost. July 9th, frost, which killed parts of cucumbers. August 22d, cucumbers killed by the frost. August 29th, severe frost. Some fields of Indian corn were killed on the low grounds, while that on the higher was unhurt. Very little Indian corn became ripe in this region. Of that which was cut up at the roots immediately after being killed, and made to stand upright in small collections, about one half became fit for food. But that which was not cut up did not ripen. 43.09 Mean temperature of the year "of highest and lowest in the months 66 of do. and do. means do. Greatest heat 92.7 July 18th about 3 P. M. Quantity of water, rain and snow, 38.557 inches. Winds N. W. 260; S. W. 99; S. E.91; S. 77; W. 14; N. E. 2; and E. 1; and, through the day, N. W, 153. Mean state of the thermometer for February 5th, -8.75; 11th, 0.23; 14th, as given in the table-10.53; 15th-10.2; 16th, 3.9. Thermometer during the cold Friday of 1810, did not, on the whole, stand so low as it did. on the above 14th of February. The greatest cold ever observed here, 28, which happened in December 1796. The temperature of the three springs, mentioned in the observations of last year, and also of Green river, was noted three times a month. The result is not materially different from that above given. Mean temperature of the 1st spring 48.33; 2d, 47.35; 30, 45.65; and of Green river, 47.35. The 1st varied only 120 during the year the 2d, 7°; the 3d, 210,4; and the river, 42°, or from 32° to 74. The first four columns of wind show the number of times the wind has been from those points at the regular hour of observation, and the last column the number of days in which the wind has been N. W. through the day. Mean temperature of the year 44°.19. Dividing the winds at the three daily observations into 100 parts, about 59 are N. W.; 14, S. E.; 10, S. W.; 13, S.; 1, E.; 2, W.; 1, N. E. Zodiacal light observed several evenings at the end of February and beginning of March.. Aurora Borealis observed May 23 and 28; June 6 to 10th; September 24 and 25th; and October 6 and 7th. Mean temperature of 1818 a little less than that of 1816. 66 of 1816, 1817, and 1818, 44°.11. "temperature of three springs for two years 48°.31, 47°.22, and 45.83; the mean of which is 47°.12. This is nearly the mean, according to Kirwan's theory, allowing the elevation of this place to be 1000 feet above the tide water of the Hudson at Troy, and allowing 1° of reduction from the standard temperature for an elevation of thirty feet in a mile. |