Weather Rambling — April bonnets

“Spring bonnets are preparing to come out and air themselves,” The Glen’s Falls Republican reported on April 6, 1880.

But it may have been premature to go without overcoats.

“The balmy air of last week induced people to abandon overcoats and, as a consequence, strips of flannel, handkerchiefs, and cough mixture are in great demand.”

It would not be long, however.

“Don’t despair: actual spring and settled weather are near at hand. Hardware merchants displaying farming implements and baby carriages rolling along the sidewalks are sure precursors,” the Republican reported. “The first delicate April showers were overdone. But they effectively settled accounts with the snow.”

Once it came, the rain stayed away.

“Plenty of dust. … The moon looked rather thirsty about six o’clock last evening,” The Commercial Advertiser of Sandy Hill reported om April 14.

“A splendid day — wasps and fleas begin to put in an appearance,” The Commercial Advertiser of Sandy Hill reported on April 21.

At Patten’s Mills, D.A. Mead had sowed his onions.

1881

“The first day of April was a genuine spring day,” The Commercial Advertiser reported on April 6, 1881.

The glory did not last.

“Yesterday was a terrible raw day and everyone hugged the stoves as best they could.”

There was hope that the weather prophet would be wrong.

“According to Vennor, we will have snow squalls until the 25th of this month.”

It began to look as if Vennor might be right.

“During a greater part of yesterday, a snow squall prevailed in this section,” The Commercial Advertiser reported on April 13.

Winter weather still prevailed in the Adirondacks, The Commercial Advertiser reported on April 20.

“It is said that the ice in Blue Mountain and Raquette lakes is between two and three feet thick and is as firm at the ends as elsewhere.”

The weather did start looking up after April 25.

“Last week in April. … Straw hats will soon venture out. Ice in Lake George has disappeared,” The Commercial Advertiser reported on April 27. “April showers have been few and far between so far this month. Unless we have rain very soon, forest fires will be raging in their usual fury.”

Mother Nature seemed to smile at the thought of milder weather.

“Did you see the handsome appearance of the sky last evening after sunset? — If the thermometer stands as high next Sabbath as it did Monday, how the new spring bonnets will flourish!”

1889

It was a sleighing season encore.

“About ten inches of snow fell Sunday night, and the sleighs were out again Monday,” The Granville Sentinel reported on April 5, 1889.

Monday, coincidentally, was April Fool’s Day, but the snowstorm was no joke.

“There was quite a heavy snowstorm Sunday night and the weather since has been very disagreeable. Rain, snow, slush and mud have been the prevailing conditions.”

It was optimum conditions for sugaring, however.

“Never was there a season more favorable to the flow of maple sap. The sugar is abundant.”

The outlook was optimistic a week later.

“Birds sing and whistle in the early, bracing breezes,” the Sentinel reported on April 12. “People who have been unable to discover any good reason for snow in April may be interested to know that these late snows are good for grass, protecting from frost, and affording more or less sustenance.”

Speaking of frost:

“Heavy white frost Monday and Tuesday evenings,” the Sentinel reported on April 19.

“The farmers in this vicinity have begun their spring work in earnest. Plowing planting, and sowing are going on rapidly. The season is about a fortnight (two weeks) earlier than last year.”

Market conditions dictated planting only a few potatoes.

“Farmers are making the most of this uncommon, pleasant weather, and getting in their crops, though how they can have any heart to plant only potatoes enough for their own consumption is a mystery, as the tubers (only) bring, if very nice, eighteen and twenty cents a bushel, at most,” the Sentinel reported on April 26.

It was uncertain if cold weather was over.

“A Saratoga weather prophet asserts that there are sure to be many cold, sour, disagreeable days yet this spring, and advises not to discard their wraps, overcoats, and heavy underclothing prematurely.”

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