CLIMATE OF NORTH AND CENTRAL COAST.

CLIMATOLOGY OF EUREKA, AND WEATHER CONDITIONS ALONG THE COAST OF NORTH. ERN CALIFORNIA.

By Mr. A. H. BELL, Observer, Weather Bureau.

The city of Eureka stands on the south shore of Humboldt Bay about 7 miles from the entrance and some 215 miles from San Francisco, latitude north 40° 48′ and longitude west 124° 11'. A few miles east of the city we have the forest-covered foothills of the coast range, while on the west the shore is washed by the Pacific Ocean.

Equable and apparently health-giving is Eureka's climate. Since establishment of the sta tion the highest recorded temperature is 84 and the lowest 20° above. Fogs and overcast skies prevail at all seasons along the coast. They preserve a uniform temperature and a humid atmosphere, and, to a large extent, determine the character of our industries and productions. In summer, however, cloudless skies and a high temperature are characteristics of the higher latitudes and of the region east of the redwood belt. From October until April is the rainy season, but the wet period is by no means a season of continuous precipitation. Sometimes a rainy season will embrace much pleasant weather. While the prevailing winds are in summer northerly, seldom indeed do they attain the velocity of a gale, usually rising before noon and subsiding before nightfall. These winds are extremely liable to ensue on two or three consecutive days. In winter, on the other hand, the prevailing winds are southeasterly.

Humboldt Bay has a varying width of from half a mile to 4 miles and a length of 14 miles, and possesses a tidal area of about 28 square miles. It lies nearly parallel with the coast, and between it and the ocean there intervenes a sand peninsula with a width of from one-fourth mile to 1 miles. So narrow is the entrance and so peculiar are its relations to the body of water within-in other words so completely landlocked is our harbor-that tempestuous weather outside affects it very little.

Year.

MEAN MONTHLY AND ANNUAL TEMPERATURE (DEGREES FAHRENHEIT).

Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May. June. July. Aug.

Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec.

Annual.

1887.

48.5

51.9

52.4

1888.

1889.

1890.

46.9 48.2
42.2 44.4

1891.

48.0

45.4

1892.

46.6 41.0 49.3
54.0 53.0 50.5 47.7
44.6 48.4 47.7 50.9 53.5 59.4 58.0 57.4 57.4
52.2 53.2 54.8
55.0 55.6 55.4 56.0
46.9 49.0 54.0 55.2 56.7 55.8 53.2 51.6 50.0 48.4
49.0 50.9 53.2 56.4 56.0 59.4 56.7 54.1 52.4
48.6 49.0 52.8 53.6 55.4 56.2
56.2 53.6 49.6 46.6
47.8 47.8. 51.4 53.7 55.9 55.2 56.0 51.4 50.9 47.4
46.4 48.6 51.0 54.4 54.4 57.3 56.0 53.9 50.7 46.0
53.7 52.0 48.8

MONTHLY, ANNUAL, AND SEASONAL PRECIPITATION (INCHES AND HUNDREDTHS). [The capital letter "T" indicates the rainfall was but a trace and was too small to measure. The total rainfall for the seasons are the totals from July 1 of one year to June 30 of the next year.]

1887..

1888.

1889.

1890.

1891.

1892.

3.33 9.81 5.83
3.29 2.53

1893.

1894.

12.38 6.13 7.46 2.97

1895.

9.37 3.60 5.31 2.88

1896.

8.14 4.61

1897.

3.04 11.23

1898.

3.23

1899.

1900.

8.86 9.07 2.28 5.55 3.51 1.92 0.06 0.07 0.21 0.55 2.66 5.43
12.95 1.98 4.09 1.05 0.76 4.66 0.44 T. 0.06 1.15 3.41 5.93 1887-88
4.25 1.93 5.91 3.49
7.20 0.37 0.15 0.13 0.32 8.36 3.71 12.88 1888-89
18.26 13.88 11.57 2.26 1.71 0.87 0.08 0.02 0.79 0.44 0.18! 5.48 1889-90
6.37 1.55 1.53 0.29 0.31 1.45 1.64 2.72 10.97 1890-91
5.32 5.54 3.63 0.45 0.00 0.09 0.99 2.90 8.19 6.55 1891-92
3.65 6.27 10.59 7.16 2.43 0.33 0.00
0.00 2.39 4.33 9.87 6.69 1892-93
1.31 1.67 0.02 0.04 1.84 3.12 2.03 12.31
5.39 0.06 0.23 0.11
3. 14 0.05 3.88 7.50 1894-95
6.93 11.13 6.22 0.51 0.00 0.70
1.60 2.37 8.00 9.41 1895-96
9.85 2.55 0.75 1.60 0.03 0.15 1.05 2.63 5.44 6.18 1896-97
8.00 1.80 2.78 2.62 1.21 T. 0.06
6.50
5.03 8.53 1.91 1.73 0.75 0.00
6.63 6.04 3.42 4.43 2.08 1.70

Year.

DATES OF FIRST AND LAST LIGHT AND KILLING FROSTS, WITH LOWEST TEMPERATURE.

[Record began January 1, 1887.]

First light frost of sea- First killing frost of sea- Last light frost of sea- Last killing frost of sea

son.

son.

son.

son.

In the table below will be found the greatest monthly precipitation and date; least monthly precipitation and date; number of times monthly precipitation has exceeded the normal in fourteen years:

Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May. June. July. Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec.

HIGHEST WIND VELOCITY, DIRECTION, AND DATE FOR EACH MONTH FROM JANUARY 1, 1888.

1887

1888

1889

1890

1891

1892

1893

1894

3.72

1895

1896

1897

1898

1899

1900

1.10

1.91

2.19 2.88 0.88 1.64 1.05 1.55 0.02 0.03 0.20 0.34 0.91 0.88
3.91 0.80 0.97 0.30 0.30 1.99 0.44 T.
0.04
1.58 0.65 1.71 1.02 1.54 0.36 0.04 0.09 0.13
3.72 4.91 2.90 1.37
0.83 0.35 0.06 0.01 0.68 0.41
0.94 1.96 1.24 2.09 0.76 0.48 0.14
0.24 0.73 0.52 0.99
1.18 0.72 1.27 1.10 1.40 0.14 0.00 0.05 0.63 1.27 2.33 2.73
0.98 1.57 2.06 1.18 0.68 0.22 0.00 0.00 0.81 2.12 3.70 2.46
1.05 1.60 1.27 0.52 0.51 0.02 0.04 1.51 1.07 1.19 3.47
2.20 1.77 1.86 0.53 2.24 0.04 0.12 0.07 2.77 0.03 1.32 1.88
1.34 1.31 1.86 2.87 1.36
0.27 0.00 0.60 1.46 0.94 3.04 2.69
1.16 2.48 1.56 0.99 0.25 0.62
0.02 0.08 0.75 1.09
0.68 2.14 0.62 1.85 0.86 0.60 T.
0.06 0.80
1.16 3.17 1.60 0.55 1.23 0.36 0.00 0.24 0.74
2.16 2.02
1.40 1.26 T.
0.07 0.10 2.05 2.67

2.88