AUGUST.

August has been a month of extremes of temperature, but on the whole cool; and the rainfall, unusual for August, has left the ground in excellent condition for fall plowing and for the recovery of vegetation from the unprecedented continuance of dry weather.

PRECIPITATION.

The area of the state receiving the greatest rainfall extends from the center of the state, north-easterly and easterly, including most of the Elkhorn valley, and extending down that river south-easterly to near its mouth; this area has received over five inches, or about two inches more than the normal for August. The greater part of the state has received from three to five inches, with a gradual falling-off towards the south-east and the north, where two localities, viz., the middle region of the Niobrara valley and that stretching from Lincoln towards Weeping Water and south-east towards Nebraska City, have received less than three inches; almost the entire state has received more than the normal August rainfall.

TEMPERATURE.

The month has had both the hottest and the coolest days of any August for ten years; the highest temperature registered was 101.5°, at Omaha, and the lowest 38°, at Valentine. One hundred degrees was registered in August, 1888, and 40° in August of last year. The mean temperature has been 70.9, about three degrees below the normal; the number of days above 85° has been thirteen, which is about the usual number.

STORMS.

These extremes of temperature have been accompanied by numerous storms; both the hail and thunder storms have been unusually numerous, although not severe. No great damage from them has been reported from any part of the state.

CROP REPORT.

The corn crop generally promises better than was expected a month ago; grass, except where it was cut just before the rainless period in July, is doing well, and the ground generally is in excellent condition for winter, instead of being dry as it was last fall when winter set in, with its resulting severe effect upon small fruit and grass.

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 August, 1887, is as follows:

South Middle (four stations).

4.88

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

3.99

State average by sections..................

COMPARISON OF PAST AUGUSTS.

The table shows the mean temperature, the noon temperature, and the number of days above 85° for the past ten Augusts 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 daily temperature and weather predictions of the Chief Signal Officer have been distributed by this service to the following stations, where flags have been displayed for the benefit of the public. The following are the number of failures (F) and of correct predictions (C) both as to temperature and weather: