Show 1 AKE TELEGRAM SUMMER DROUGHT RECORD RE CORD 4 44 4 OFFICIAL FIGURES GIVEN By ALFRED H. H H. H THIESSEN U. U S. S Weather Bureau In a general way a a. drought may be defined a as a p period having an nn un unusually unusually un- un usually deficient amount of or moisture But any definition n of or a drou drought ht that may be given gi would apply only to that certain section of or the countr country for tor which It was formulated For instance If it one ono defines a drought as ns a n. period of or thirty lays days or more In which only 50 per cent of ot the normal normal nor nor- mal amount of rain fell tell it Jt is r readily seen that the severity of at tho the drought would be much greater r In an arid region Ion receiving normally less les than twenty inches a n. year than in a moist re region lon where the thc annual rainfall was normally forty ort inches or more The seriousness of or a drought de depends do- do ponds upon many factors It is less severe if It preceded and succeeded b by abundant rains Tho temperature and wind conditions prevailing durin dur dUr- in ing the drought ht have an important modifying effect Droughts are felt less leaR from an agricultural standpoint at those places where the soil texture li Is such that evaporation takes place al slowly I Records to 1847 An exact dalt daily record of rainfall for tor Salt Lake City is available since 1874 but there arc are records extending back as RS far as 1847 In the earlier years ears records for tor some of or the tho months month are missing and the probable annual amounts were estimated which throws some doubt on the yearly values alues The normal rainfall for this city i Is 1624 Inches as calculated for the period 1874 1814 to date The smallest annual amount was Inches re recorded recorded re- re corded at Fort Douglas In 1863 and the largest was 2773 inches il in 1866 from the and Son Sons Son's s record Since 1874 t. when the record was begun by the U. U S S. S weather bureau the smallest amount was 1033 Inches in 1890 and the thc largest was 2364 inches in 1876 1875 The weather wather bureau office of ot this city has classified the local droughts under three heads Class 1 Periods of ot fifteen days or more having less than 01 Inch Class 2 Periods of thirty days das or more mora having 10 inch or less Class 3 Periods of ot sixty days or more having 25 6 Inch or less Of or class 1 1 that is Js periods of fir fir- teen days or more having less than 01 inch there w were re since 1875 making an average of four tour e cf every Y year r. r Year Yar 1889 was noted for these short rainless spells there being eight that y year ar but the year as a whole was waR wetter welter than usual The rhe longest period of ot this class on record was from August to October 1899 or three sixty days but that year ear there was Inches more than the normal Largest This Thi Yea Year Of Ot class 2 2 that is periods of or thirty days or more having 10 Inch or less lessof lessof lessof of pr precipitation there were nine fifty since 1875 three being the greatest number recorded in hi one year namely 1870 1879 and ond 1886 the former being a 0 adry adry clr dry year and the latter a wet wot one The longest period of ot this class was six eighty days from June 7 to August August August Aug Aug- 31 1915 1916 when 09 00 inch fell teU the next longest period was three eighty days from Jul July 1 to September 21 21 1911 when 08 inch fell teU Of class 3 3 that is periods of ot sixty days or more having 25 Inch or less there were fifteen since or approximately approximately approximately ap ap- ap- ap proximately ono one er e every three years cars The longest period pello l of this class was days from June 14 H to October 4 1879 when 25 26 Inch was recorded In 1890 when only 1033 Inches f fell 11 durIng durIng during dur dur- ing the whole year there were two such p periods from June 4 to August 10 10 sixty days when 04 inch was recorded and from October 15 to December 19 sixty-six sixty days when 22 fell It may be said that the drought of ot the present summer was severe but Its severity was felt all tho the more as there Is an ever Increasing demand made upon the water supply for the use of or the people The city is larger area and In population and more lawns gardens and trees are yearly added to enhance the gior ot of an al already at- at ready teady beautiful cIt dt city |