COMPARISON OF PAST JUNES.

The table shows the mean temperature, the noon temperature, and the number of days above 85° for the past ten Junes in south-eastern Nebraska; they are found by averaging the numbers reported at the different stations. It also shows the highest temperature and the lowest recorded anywhere in the state by standard self-registering thermometers:

The following table shows the precipitation or depth in inches of rain and melted snow or hail, the number of days on which it fell, and the number of cloudy and of clear days. Days are counted cloudy when the sky is four-fifths overcast; clear when less than one-third. The last column shows the depth of snowfall during the month:

By the kindness of the Chief Signal Officer, permission has been given to this service to distribute to thirty-five stations in the state the daily weather predictions at government expense by telegraph from this office; most of the stations have already been selected. These in addition to the stations receiving them by mail from this office make about seventy stations at which the predictions are received, and thirty-five at which flags will be displayed.

JULY.

The month of July has been characterized by the continuance of the dry weather of the season and by the occurrence of the hottest day for ten years.

PRECIPITATION.

Except along the lower Platte and Loup river and thence northward along the Missouri, the rainfall has been very meagre, from an inch and a half to three inches; the largest amount reported is 5.95 inches at West Point. The average for the whole state is 2.77, while the normal for July is 4.20, as deduced from the past ten years. The distribution in time has not been so far out of the way, the number of rainy days being 7.7 against a normal of 7.9, but in general the ground had become so dry and hot that the smaller amounts received did not do, their work. It is to be noted that for a whole year preceding this month, the monthly rainfall has been almost regularly below the normal amount, as will be seen from the following tables:

In other words the soil entered upon its season of summer heat and drying this month with about seven and one-half inchs less of rainfall since the preceding summer, than the normal amount, making it on the whole one of the most trying seasons for crops, young trees, grass, etc., that we have experienced since grasshopper days. In fact we must go back to March, 1886, with its unprecedented snowfall, to find a month with precipitation notably above the normal.

TEMPERATURE.

The mean temperature has not been greatly above the normal, about one degree. The noon temperature has been three degrees above the normal, and the maximum temperature on the afternoon of the 29th reached 103.3°, both at Crete and at Omaha, a temperature higher than any before reported for the ten years that cur records have been kept. The lowest temperature of the month, 47°, is also lower than any reported during that period.

WIND.

On the afternoon of the 29th, before mentioned as the hottest day on record, the only tornado that has done any serious damage in the state for a number of years swept David City, killing several persons and destroying a considerable part of the town.

OTHER STORMS.

There has been a notable lack of thunder and hail storms, no hail, in fact, being reported from any part of the state. The clouds have been light and fleecy, and there have been but three days on the average in which the sky would be designated cloudy.

TABLES.

The following are the mean temperatures, noon temperatures, and precipitations reported by various observers:

The following are the highest and lowest temperatures by self-registering thermometers, and the mean humidity of the air:

The following are the total number of miles traveled by the wind during the month, and the greatest and average velocity per hour:

The average rain for the different sections of the state for July, 1887, is as follows:

Inches.

North-east section (four stations).

North Middle (two stations).........

West (one station).....

.......... 2.53 ...... 1.48

South Middle (four stations).

3.05

South-east (covering essentially what has heretofore been the "whole state" as far as reporting)..

2.74

state average by sections...........

2.77

COMPARISON OF PAST JULYS.

The table shows the mean temperature, the noon temperature, and the number of days above 85° for the past ten Julys, in south-eastern Nebraska; they are found by averaging the numbers reported at the different stations. It also shows the highest temperature and the lowest recorded anywhere in the state by standard, self-registering thermometers:

The following table shows the precipitation or depth in inches of rain and melted snow or hail, the number of days on which it fell, and the number of cloudy and of clear days. Days are counted cloudy when the sky is four-fifths overcast; clear when less than one-third. The last column shows the depth of snowfall during the month :

The following points are now receiving daily weather telegrams and displaying flags under the direction of this service: