Shelby County
IAGenWeb

Many courtesies in the preparation of this article nave been shown the author by Dr. George M. Chappell, director of the Iowa weather and crop service and by postmaster C. A. Reynolds.

Shelby county is fortunate in having at Harlan, in the person of postmaster Reynolds, a very careful and conscientious weather observer, who since 1899 has kept the weather records at Harlan for the United States government, which, for the purpose, has furnished him with government instruments. The average monthly and annual temperatures as observed and recorded by him. together with the total precipitation, including snowfall (unmelted) in this period are herewith given. The minus (-) sign before figures indicates a temperature below zero and the letter "T" indicates a trace too small for measurement.

TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION FOR THE PERIOD 1899 TO AUGUST, 1914,
AT HARLAN, IOWA.

JANUARY.

	Temperature.			Precipitation.
Year.	Mean.	Max.	Min.	Total.	Snowfall.
1899 - - - - -
1900 - - - - -	26.0	52	- 12	.35	0.3
1901 - - - - -	23.5	50	- 9	.38	3.1
1902 - - - - -	22.4	54	- 22	1.67	17.5
1903 - - - - -	23.6	47	- 6	.05	0.2
1904 - - - - -	16.5	49	- 20	.93	5.8
1905 - - - - -	10.8	4.3	- 24	.87	10.5
1906 - - - - -	27.4	57	- 7	.45	5.5
1907 - - - - -	19.6	47	- 11	.60	1.8
1908 - - - - -	25.8	56	- 8	.34	6.5
1909 - - - - -	20.8	54	- 17	1.81
1910 - - - - -	18.8	44	- 27	1.00	9.2
1911 - - - - -	22.2	58	- 23	.39	4.0
1912 - - - - -	5.4	42	- 37	.57	6.0
1913 - - - - -	22.4	54	- 18	.64	6.0
	----	----	----	----	----
Averages - - - - -	20.4			0.72	5.9
Extremes - - - - -		58	- 37

FEBRUARY.

	Temperature.			Precipitation.
Year.	Mean.	Max.	Min.	Total.	Snowfall.
1899 - - - - -	11.9	57	- 29	.42
1900 - - - - -	14.8	43	- 23	1.49	14.9
1901 - - - - -	19.2	44	- 10	1.35	10.31
1902 - - - - -	17.8	53	- 15	.15	2.0
1903 - - - - -	18.1	43	- 18	1.27	9.0
1904 - - - - -	17.0	51	- 8	.17	1.7
1905 - - - - -	12.4	63	- 37	1.16	14.5
1906 - - - - -	25.4	60	- 15	.88	5.8
1907 - - - - -	26.2	60	- 19	1.10	4.4
1908 - - - - -	24.6	48	- 10	1.67	7.2
1909 - - - - -	26.6	52	- 5	1.55	2.0
1910 - - - - -	18.4	45	- 14	.29	4.5
1911 - - - - -	26.8	53	- 3	2.77	12.0
1912 - - - - -	18.8	44	- 14	.97	9.5
1913 - - - - -	20.4	63	- 14	.65	6.8
	----	----	----	----	----
Averages - - - - -	19.9			1.04	7.5
Extremes - - - - -		63	- 37

MARCH

	Temperature.			Precipitation.
Year.	Mean.	Max.	Min.	Total.	Snowfall.
1899 - - - - -	25.4	65	- 3	.75
1900 - - - - -	32.5	72	- 7	1.99	.3
1901 - - - - -	34.8	68	4	3.26	29.3
1902 - - - - -	39.2	71	0	2.01	T
1903 - - - - -	37.8	73	10	.83	2.6
1904 - - - - -	35.8	68	4	1.38	3.0
1905 - - - - -	42.9	79	10	1.43	2.0
1906 - - - - -	27.2	60	- 6	1.26	7.8
1907 - - - - -	41.8	90	7	.40	3.5
1908 - - - - -	37.9	83	10	1.10	T
1909 - - - - -	32.2	63	- 2	1.00	9.7
1910 - - - - -	50.0	86	20	T	.0
1911 - - - - -	39.4	76	11	.69	1.3
1912 - - - - -	24.4	64	- 9	2.94	32.0
1913 - - - - -	32.7	65	- 15	2.16	4.7
	----	----	----	----	----
Averages - - - - -	35.6			1.41	6.9
Extremes - - - - -		90	- 15

APRIL.

	Temperature.			Precipitation.
Year.	Mean.	Max.	Min.	Total.	Snowfall.
1899 - - - - -	48.8	83	11	4.21
1900 - - - - -	52.3	84	26	2.21	1.0
1901 - - - - -	49.8	87	23	1.97	3.0
1902 - - - - -	48.7	87	18	.96	T
1903 - - - - -	49.8	83	25	2.32	T
1904 - - - - -	43.6	74	20	3.20	1.0
1905 - - - - -	46.8	79	19	2.98	2.2
1906 - - - - -	52.6	89	26	3.45	T
1907 - - - - -	42.4	75	12	.87	2.6
1908 - - - - -	51.0	85	13	.99	T
1909 - - - - -	44.0	80	23	2.76	T
1910 - - - - -	52.7	94	22	.17	1.2
1911 - - - - -	47.6	77	21	2.39	T
1912 - - - - -	49.8	76	28	3.38	.0
1913 - - - - -	50.4	83	26	3.44	T
	----	----	----	----	----
Averages - - - - -	48.7			2.35	0.8
Extremes - - - - -		94	11

MAY.

	Temperature.			Precipitation.
Year.	Mean.	Max.	Min.	Total.	Snowfall.
1899 - - - - -	60.4	85	34	4.49
1900 - - - - -	63.6	89	27	3.09
1901 - - - - -	60.8	91	30	1.78
1902 - - - - -	64.0	88	37	3.31
1903 - - - - -	61.3	83	26	10.43
1904 - - - - -	59.9	87	34	3.07
1905 - - - - -	58.0	82	32	4.29
1906 - - - - -	61.0	85	28	4.89
1907 - - - - -	53.6	87	19	2.87
1908 - - - - -	58.9	86	18	8.48
1909 - - - - -	57.6	94	23	4.25
1910 - - - - -	54.5	81	29	3.14
1911 - - - - -	63.2	91	30	5.00
1912 - - - - -	62.8	87	30	1.07
1913 - - - - -	59.2	95	34	7.63
	----	----	----	----	----
Averages - - - - -	59.9			4.52
Extremes - - - - -		95	18

JUNE.

	Temperature.			Precipitation.
Year.	Mean.	Max.	Min.	Total.	Snowfall.
1899 - - - - -	71.2	94	47	7.53
1900 - - - - -	69.6	95	44	1.89
1901 - - - - -	73.2	100	37	7.29
1902 - - - - -	65.8	91	40	7.87
1903 - - - - -	65.0	91	37	2.83
1904 - - - - -	67.4	93	44	4.24
1905 - - - - -	70.6	92	44	3.80
1906 - - - - -	67.2	94	42	3.02
1907 - - - - -	66.5	91	40	3.13
1908 - - - - -	66.6	86	43	6.34
1909 - - - - -	68.4	89	48	6.84
1910 - - - - -	68.7	97	38	.81
1911 - - - - -	74.5	98	50	1.39
1912 - - - - -	63.4	94	40	5.71
1913 - - - - -	69.8	93	40	1.65
	----	----	----	----	----
Averages - - - - -	68.5			4.29
Extremes - - - - -		100	37

JULY.

	Temperature.			Precipitation.
Year.	Mean.	Max.	Min.	Total.	Snowfall.
1899 - - - - -	72.6	94	50	2.31
1900 - - - - -	73.2	98	50	8.33
1901 - - - - -	82.4	111	53	.76
1902 - - - - -	73.6	95	50	12.63
1903 - - - - -	73.3	95	46	5.05
1904 - - - - -	71.0	93	47	5.20
1905 - - - - -	69.8	95	46	4.21
1906 - - - - -	69.6	91	48	4.40
1907 - - - - -	73.7	96	52	4.96
1908 - - - - -	71.8	94	46	1.68
1909 - - - - -	72.3	93	50	5.03
1910 - - - - -	73.3	95	47	1.25
1911 - - - - -	74.4	106	43	1.39
1912 - - - - -	74.4	99	46	2.62
1913 - - - - -	75.5	98	51	1.82
	----	----	----	----	----
Averages - - - - -	73.4			4.11
Extremes - - - - -		111	43

AUGUST.

	Temperature.			Precipitation.
Year.	Mean.	Max.	Min.	Total.	Snowfall.
1899 - - - - -	74.2	94	51	4.44
1900 - - - - -	75.5	94	56	7.79
1901 - - - - -	73.9	98	50	.81
1902 - - - - -	69.6	94	41	3.32
1903 - - - - -	69.2	92	44	9.39
1904 - - - - -	69.0	91	41	1.91
1905 - - - - -	74.2	94	52	4.70
1906 - - - - -	73.0	94	38	2.91
1907 - - - - -	71.4	93	45	2.71
1908 - - - - -	70.2	97	45	3.63
1909 - - - - -	75.8	97	40	.88
1910 - - - - -	71.6	97	43	9.58
1911 - - - - -	71.8	100	42	2.54
1912 - - - - -	71.3	97	49	2.69
1913 - - - - -	77.0	99	46	2.22
	----	----	----	----	----
Averages - - - - -	72.5			3.97
Extremes - - - - -		100	38

SEPTEMBER.

	Temperature.			Precipitation.
Year.	Mean.	Max.	Min.	Total.	Snowfall.
1899 - - - - -	63.0	96	20	.84
1900 - - - - -	63.6	92	30	3.91
1901 - - - - -	64.6	92	28	8.02
1902 - - - - -	58.4	83	27	5.63
1903 - - - - -	59.7	84	31	1.90
1904 - - - - -	63.6	89	34	2.48
1905 - - - - -	65.6	85	41	3.54
1906 - - - - -	65.7	93	34	4.89
1907 - - - - -	63.0	92	29	2.14
1908 - - - - -	67.8	93	25	1.05
1909 - - - - -	62.2	87	36	7.19
1910 - - - - -	63.2	89	32	3.23
1911 - - - - -	66.7	96	34	4.02
1912 - - - - -	60.4	93	29	8.86
1913 - - - - -	63.7	102	26	5.00
	----	----	----	----	----
Averages - - - - -	63.4			4.18
Extremes - - - - -		102	20

OCTOBER.

	Temperature.			Precipitation.
Year.	Mean.	Max.	Min.	Total.	Snowfall.
1899 - - - - -	57.2	90	29	2.93
1900 - - - - -	58.2	85	27	4.32	T
1901 - - - - -	53.7	86	25	3.25	T
1902 - - - - -	52.5	79	24	2.25	T
1903 - - - - -	52.1	81	25	4.50
1904 - - - - -	53.0	84	20	.92
1905 - - - - -	48.5	83	19	2.75	T
1906 - - - - -	49.4	77	17	1.27
1907 - - - - -	50.2	81	13	2.64
1908 - - - - -	50.5	83	24	3.52
1909 - - - - -	50.0	86	15	1.81	0.2
1910 - - - - -	54.2	85	18	.99	T
1911 - - - - -	48.8	76	18	1.77	0.1
1912 - - - - -	51.8	84	25	4.00	T
1913 - - - - -	47.7	82/td>	11	1.19	T
	----	----	----	----	----
Averages - - - - -	51.9			2.54	T
Extremes - - - - -		90	11

NOVEMBER.

	Temperature.			Precipitation.
Year.	Mean.	Max.	Min.	Total.	Snowfall.
1899 - - - - -	43.0	66	12	.91
1900 - - - - -	33.4	67	0	.56	4.7
1901 - - - - -	35.7	63	12	.67	1.5
1902 - - - - -	38.0	72	15	1.45	1.0
1903 - - - - -	35.0	66	1	1.02	7.2
1904 - - - - -	39.4	68	8	.17	1.0
1905 - - - - -	38.4	69	0	3.06	T
1906 - - - - -	35.4	69	9	1.01	3.5
1907 - - - - -	36.6	65	11	.53	T
1908 - - - - -	38.2	75	11	.79	0.7
1909 - - - - -	41.4	78	6	9.85	8.0
1910 - - - - -	34.7	64	12	.17	T
1911 - - - - -	30.4	57	0	.32	T
1912 - - - - -	40.0	69	15	.50	T
1913 - - - - -	43.6	71	18	.88	T
	----	----	----	----	----
Averages - - - - -	37.5			1.46	2.0
Extremes - - - - -		78	0

HOME OF AUGUST FRANK IRWIN
After storm of Jan. 28-29, 1909

Click image to enlarge

MAIN STREET, IRWIN
After Blizzard of Jan. 28-29, 1909

A FRESHET IN THE BOTNA VALLEY AT IRWIN, MAY 15, 1913.

DECEMBER.

	Temperature.			Precipitation.
Year.	Mean.	Max.	Min.	Total.	Snowfall.
1899 - - - - -	22.4	49	- 5	1.43
1900 - - - - -	14.8	43	- 4	.67	3.9
1901 - - - - -	19.2	44	- 22	.90	9.0
1902 - - - - -	17.8	53	- 12	2.69	14.2
1903 - - - - -	18.1	43	- 12	.14	4.0
1904 - - - - -	17.0	51	- 11	.60	7.5
1905 - - - - -	12.4	63	- 6	.05	1.0
1906 - - - - -	25.4	60	- 7	1.23	T
1907 - - - - -	26.2	60	6	.36	3.0
1908 - - - - -	24.6	48	- 14	.27	3.0
1909 - - - - -	26.6	52	- 18	1.81	16.5
1910 - - - - -	18.4	45	- 5	.33	3.5
1911 - - - - -	26.8	53	- 14	3.19	14.1
1912 - - - - -	18.8	44	0	.38	T
1913 - - - - -	20.4	63	3	1.82	T
	----	----	----	----	----
Averages - - - - -	24.5			1.06	5.7
Extremes - - - - -		60	- 22

ANNUAL.

	Temperature.			Precipitation.
Year.	Mean.	Max.	Min.	Total.	Snowfall.
1899 - - - - -		96	- 29
1900 - - - - -	49.2	98	- 23	36.60	24.1
1901 - - - - -	49.2	111	- 22	30.14	56.2
1902 - - - - -	47.4	95	- 22	43.94	34.7
1903 - - - - -	47.2	95	- 18	39.73	23.0
1904 - - - - -	46.6	93	- 20	24.27	20.0
1905 - - - - -	47.0	93	- 37	32.84	30.2
1906 - - - - -	48.4	94	- 15	29.66	22.6
1907 - - - - -	47.8	96	- 19	22.31	15.4
1908 - - - - -	49.2	97	- 14	29.86	17.4
1909 - - - - -	47.1	97	- 18	44.78
1910 - - - - -	48.7	97	- 27	20.96
1911 - - - - -	49.3	106	- 23	35.86	31.5
1912 - - - - -	45.9	99	- 37	33.69	47.5
1913 - - - - -	49.5	102	- 18	29.10	17.5
	----	----	----	----	----
Averages - - - - -	48.0			31.69	28.3
Extremes - - - - -		111	- 37

(4)

1914.

	Temperature.			Precipitation.
Year.	Mean.	Max.	Min.	Total.	Snowfall.
January - - - - -	28.1	55	- 2	.62	3.8
February - - - - -	19.2	49	- 15	.7	7.2
March - - - - -	35.2	71	6	1.61	.3
April - - - - -	49.1	85	18	3.66
May - - - - -	62.2	91	31	3.38
June - - - - -	72.4	93	42	9.59
July - - - - -	75.8	98	52	3.32
August - - - - -	73.8	99	52	3.25

Transcribed by Cheryl Siebrass, October, 2022 from the Past and Present of Shelby County, Iowa, by Edward S. White, P.A., LL. B.,Volume 1, Indianapolis: B. F. Bowen & Co., 1915, pg. 42-50.

< PREVIOUS

NEXT >

Site Terms, Conditions & Disclaimer