Research Progress Report 247 Project 1185 April, 1966
Forage Farm Weather in 1965
L. A. Schaal, U. S. Weather Bureau and James E. Newman, Agronomy Department
The weather in 1965 was favorable in most ways for the crops on the forage farm. Rainfall was below normal, but distribution was good. The longest period without appreciable rain came in July and early November. Preceding rains were regular so the dryness from July 19 to about August 7 apparently was withstood quite well. This was a happy contrast to the dry late July and most of August in 1964 and the prolonged dry period in October and early November of that year.
In 1965 there were not many rain-free periods for haying. Heavy rains of the year came September 12 (3 inches) and a 2-day period of July 3 and 4 brought more than 3 inches. A wet period was terminated February 10 when on one day rainfall exceeded 2 inches.

The year demonstrated how rainfall can at one time be a depressant to soil temperatures and at another time aid soil temperatures. At the 4-inch depth in bare soil, temperatures never dropped below 31 degrees, even though air temperatures at times in January were below 0 degrees. Later in the year when soil temperatures were warm
rains lowered the temperatures. It appears that soils at the 4-inch depth did not alternate between freezing and thawing as often as in past years. These temperatures were never below 50 degrees after the first day of May.

Freezing temperatures in the spring were last recorded April 3 when a reading of 31 degrees was observed. This compares with April 9 of a year ago. The first freezing air temperatures in the fall came October 24. This compares with October 6 in 1964.

Very important was the warm May which averaged 4 degrees above normal, but nearly 3 inches below normal in precipitation. September was the wettest month of the year with a total of more than 7 1/2 inches of rain. From May to August evaporation was a little above normal with May being most outstanding with a water loss from evaporation over a water surface exceeding 8 inches. This was even higher than the customary peak month of July or August. Probably most outstanding in the growing season was the warm May and a growing season with nearly adequate, well-distributed precipitation.
PURDUE UNIVERSITY • Agricultural Experiment Station • Lafayette, Indiana