Jupiter Plurius has established a new wet record
for March in Alabama. March this year was wetter than any previous March
since the beginning of state-wide weather statistics in 1884, and the
wettest month on record with the exception of June 1900 and July
1916.
This information was contained in the general
summary of march 1922 weather conditions in Alabama, issued yesterday by
P. H. Smyth, section director. The total precipitation exceeded ten
inches in nearly all portions of the Tallapoosa and Alabama valleys and
in parts of the middle Coosa, the upper and lower Tombigbee and
Tennessee valleys, according to the report. It was less than eight
inches in Jackson, Hale, Jefferson and a few South-eastern and Florida
border counties.
Spring floods occurred in
nearly all the principal rivers of the state, but were less serious than
many former spring floods because of a comparatively even distribution
of the precipitation, it was stated in the summary. Losses to the extent
of approximately $30,000 were suffered in the Mobile basin, said the
report. Interference was caused to farm operations in most sections as a
result of the excessive and frequent rains, and particularly in the
"Black Belt" section.
Temperature during the month
averaged normal, but freezing weather extended to the coast counties on
March 5 and resulted in some damage to tender vegetation.
The general summary for March
weather in Alabama follows:
For the State the month was
the wettest March since the beginning of State-wide records in 1884, and
the wettest month of record except June 1900 and July 1916. No
phenomenally heavy monthly amounts were reported from individual
stations however, the greatest total, 13.88 inches at Thomasville,
having been exceeded in previous years in every month except November.
The total precipitation exceeded 10 inches in nearly all portions of the
Tallapoosa and Alabama Valleys and in parts of the middle Coosa, upper
and lower Tombigbee, and Tennessee Valleys, but was less than 8 inches
only in Jackson, Hale, Jefferson, a few southeastern, and the
Florida-border counties. Noteworthy floods occurred in nearly all the
prinicipal rivers, but they were less serious than many former spring
floods, due to the comparatively even distribution of
precipitation.
Temperature averaged normal freezing extended to
the coast counties on the 5th, causing some damage to tender vegetation.
The excessive and frequent rains interfered seriously with farm work in
most sections, particularly in the "black belt" counties.
The mean
temperature for the state determined from the records of 39 stations,
was 56.2 degrees, or exactly normal, and 7.8 degrees lowere than the
mean for March 1921.
The montly average for the
state, determined from the records of 57 stations, was 10.11 inches, or
4.65 inches more than the normal, and 5.21 inches more than for March,
1921 making this the wettest March since the beginning of
records.
