If that happened now, IIThe outstanding event associated with tlie went1ic.r of
the year was the great flood in the lowcr Ohio and Mississippi
Valleys lirought about by excessive rains in Jnnua137
over the c1r:iin:tge areas of the Ohio River and its trilutaries,
including the Wabnsh, the Cumherlniicl, and the
Tennessee. The nioiithly rainfall over the iiiidclle tint1
southern portions of Ohio ranged consistently froni above
9 inches to more than 14 inches. Over southern 1ndi:in:i
rainfall avernged 16.22 inches (12.20 inches nbore the
average). in southern Illinois 11.74 inches or more than S
inches in excess of normal. Over central Tennessee
monthly falls tireraged inore than 16 inches aiid in tlie
western clirision nlmut 1S.50 inclie.;. hlcI<enzie, l’enii.,
reported 23.90 inches for the month, Endington, Ky.,
22.97, Hickory, hliss., 21.45, and Evzns L~iidiiig, Ind.,
2’1.39 inches; also moiithly totals for Seffersonviile, Iiicl.,
and Leaven\\-ortli, Iiicl., were in excess 30 inches. Alaiiy
stmationsin southeastern Missouri and eastern Arkans:is
reported iiioiitlily totals in the neighborhood of 20 inches.
Statistics coveriilg the area of overflow tint1 the tlaiiinge uf
all kiiids are not yet :rvnilahle, but prohnbly will siirlxiss
all other previous gre:it floods in the United States. A
detailed clisciwioii of rninfdl over the various wnterslmls.
river stnges, and meteorological phenomena reqponsihle
lor the heavy rniiis in the Ohio Valley during January
nppe:irs in Suyplt~iiientN o. 37 of the L~ONTHLWY EATHER
R E VI E K.
Anioiiq other mtahle features of the year’s meather
n ere : The severe cold of January tlirougliout the Rocky
Rloiintains, north-ceiitrnl (+re:tt Plains and upper Mississippi
V:?lley heii niem Slate teniperutures were the lowest
uf record in \Vashinl;’toii, Oregon, California, Iclalio,
Nev-tzda , Utah, krizclii:i, hZoiitnria, ‘Kyoiiiing, Coloritdo,
niitl New Mexico, and the lowest of Jniiimry record in the
Dnl.otas aixl Nebr:lsl;a, aiul the escept,ioiially warm danu
: q w-eittlicr in the southenstern States, pnrticulnrly in
Al:ibauin, which aclvaiiced vegetation, especially fruit, to
premnture stages oiilp to be severely clamaged by cold
weather diirinz hlnrch. Other features were low January
i emperat tires in C’:ilifonlin which resulted in two destructive
frt’ezes, ilie hiickrwrcl spring wefitlier in the northern
Rochies aiitl northcni Plains States, the unusu:illv dry
spring iii Rloiitniia antl in the north xncl ceiitrnl Plains
wliicli was followcl by the most devnstating drought ever
kiic,wn in the extreme northesqtern counties of hloiitnnn.
Prouglit conclitinns tlia t were record hre:iking prevailed
over Kansas almost tlirougliout 1037 ; tlie year’s iiioisture
TWS cleficieiit in cvery comity, except those in the southeastern
qunrter. Near the close of the year the lack of
noriiial rainfall in late suniiiier and early fall niontlis