Preble County, Ohio - Chapter 16, 1881

THE climate of Ohio varies about four degrees. Though originally liable to malaria in many districts when first settled, in consequence of a dense vegetation induced by summer heats and rains, it has become very healthful, owing to clearing away this vegetation, and proper drainage. The State has become as favorable in its sanitary characteristics as any other in its locality. Ohio is remarkable for its high productive capacity, almost everything grown in the temperate climates being ` within its range. Its extremes of heat and cold are less than almost any other State in or near the same latitude, hence Ohio suffers less from the extreme dry or wet seasons which affect all adjoining States. These modifications are mainly due to the influence of the Lake Erie waters. 'These not only modify the heat of summer and the cold of winter, but apparently reduce the profusion of rainfall in summer, and favor moisture in dry periods. No finer climate exists, all conditions considered, for delicate vegetable growths, than that portion of Ohio bordering on Lake Erie. This is abundantly attested by the recent extensive development there of grape culture.

Mr. Lorin Blodget, author of "American Climatology," in the agricultural report of 1853, says: "A district bordering on the southern and western portions of Lake Erie is more favorable in this respect (for grape cultivation) than any other on the Atlantic side of the Rocky mountains, and it will ultimately prove capable : of a very liberal extention of vine culture."

Experience has proven Mr. Blodget correct in his theory. Now extensive fields of grapes are everywhere found on the Lake Erie slope, while other small fruits find a sure footing on its soil.

* Considering the climate of Ohio by isothermal lines and rain shadings, it must be borne in mind," says Mr. Blodget, in his description of Ohio's climate, from which these facts are drawn, "that local influences often require to be considered. At the south, from Cincinnati to Steubenville, the deep river valleys are two degrees warmer than the hilly districts of the same vicinity. The lines are drawn intermediate between the two extremes. Thus, Cincinnati, on the plain, is 2° warmer than at the observatory, and 4^ warmer for each year than Hillsborough, Highland county - the one being five hundred, the other one thousand, feet above sea-level. The immediate valley of the Ohio, from Cincinnati to Gallipolis, is about 75° for the summer, and 54° for the year; while the adjacent hilly districts, three hundred to five hundred feet higher, are not above 73° and 52° respectively. For the summer, generally, the river valleys are 73° to 75^; the level and central portions 72^ to 73°, and the lake border 70° to 72°. A peculiar mildness of climate belongs to the vicinity of Kelley's Island, Sandusky and Toledo. Here, both winter and summer, the climate is 2° warmer than on the highland ridge extending from Norwalk and Oberlin to Hudson and the northeastern border. 'This ridge varies from five hundred to seven hundred and fifty feet above the lake, or eight hundred and fifty to one thousand two hundred feet above sea-level. This high belt has a summer temperature of 70°, 27° for the winter, and 49° for the year; while at Sandusky and Kelley's Island the summer is 72°, the winter 29°, and the year 50°. In the central and eastern parts of the State, the winters are comparatively cold, the average falling to 32° over the more level districts, and to 29° on the highlands. The Ohio river valley is about 35°, but the highlands near it fall to 31° and 32° for the winter."

As early as 1824, several persons in the State began taking the temperature in their respective localities, for the spring, summer, autumn, and winter, averaging them for the entire year. From time to time, these were gathered and published, inducing others to take a step in the same direction. Not long since, a general table, from about forty localities, was gathered and compiled, covering a period of more than a quarter of a century. This table, when averaged, showed an average temperature of 52.4. an evenness of temperature not equalled in many bordering States.

Very imperfect observations have been made of the amount of rainfall in the State. Until lately, only an individual here and there throughout the State took enough interest in this matter to faithfully observe and record the averages of several years in succession. In consequence of this fact, the illustration of that feature of Ohio's climate is Jess satisfactory than that of the temperature. "The actual rainfall of different months and years varies greatly," says Mr. Blodget. "There may be more in a month, and, again, the quantity may rise to twelve or fifteen inches in a single month. For a year the variation may be from a minimum of twentytwo or twenty-five inches, to a maximum of fifty or even sixty inches in the southern part of the State, and fortyfive to forty-eight inches along the lake border. The average is a fixed quantity, and, although requiring a period of twenty or twenty-five years to fix it absolutely, it is entirely certain and unchangeable when known. On charts, these average quantities are represented by depths of shading. At Cincinnati, the last fifteen years of observation somewhat reduce the average of forty-eight inches, of former years, to forty-six or forty-seven inches.

being, in general, ten to twelve inches in the spring, ten to fourteen inches in the summer, and eight to ten inches in the autumn. The winter is the most variable of all the seasons, the southern part of the State having ten inches, and the northern part seven inches or less - an average of eight or nine inches.

The charts of rainfall, compiled for the State, show a fall of thirty inches on the lake, and forty-six inches at the Ohio river. Between these two points, the fall is marked, beginning at the north, thirty-two, thirty-four, thirty-six, and thirty-eight inches, all near the lake. Farther down, in the latitude of Tuscarawas, Monroe and Mercer counties, the fall is forty inches, while the southwestern part is forty-two and forty-four inches.

The clearing away of forests, the drainage of the land, and other causes have lessened the rainfall, making considerable difference since the days of the aborignes.