p. 358

-364-
[358]
1837.

A Winter at Milwaukee.
-0000-

November 1836.

1st. About the first of this month the ground began to be hardened by frost and all vegetation ceased.

20th. The Milwaukee river was closed by ice last night so firmly that people cross upon it today with but little apprehension of danger.

December 1836.

10th & 11th. Snow fell to the depth of about two feet-- It soon thawed and settled about one foot.

24th. The thermometer this morning stood at -19;

January 1837.

The following table will show the temperature and its variations during this month. The observations were taken in the morning and the warmest part of the afternoon.

[Table]

Average of morning observations 13 1/2 degrees.
" " evening observations 23 1/2
" " the month 18 1/2 or 13 1/2
degrees below the freezing point of water. It will be observed from this table that the temperature was very uniform throughout the month, the thermometer ranging only from one degree above the freezing point to three degrees below zero. And this was with but few exceptions the character of the whole winter. The average daily variation of the thermometer was 10 degrees.

We had much fine weather and fine sleighing during the month but no "January thaw" which it is said may usually be expected in this climate.