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THE STATION'S CLIMATE:
Wet summers, dry winters
The climate at Archbold Biological Station is characterized
by hot, wet summers and mild, dry winters. Average annual
rainfall (1932-2003, 71 years) is 53.18 inches (1,350.8 mm) with
more than 60 percent falling during the four wettest months,
June to September. Brief afternoon thundershowers may occur
almost every day in summer. Maximum rainfall amounts for one day
are 7.10 inches (180.3 mm) on 6 June 1953, 7.00 (177.8 mm) on a
day in September 1933, and 5.51 (139.9 mm) on 28 June 1957. The
lowest annual rainfall was 27.31 in 2000 or 51.4% of the 71-year
average.
Mean annual temperature (1952-2003, 51 years) is 72.1 degrees
Fahrenheit (22.3 degrees Celsius). Average maximum and minimum
summer temperatures, from June to September, are 92.4 degrees F
(33.6 degrees C) and 68.6 degrees F (20.3 C), respectively. The
maximum daily temperature is 103 degrees F (39.4 C) during a day
in May 1953 and on 3 and 4 July 1998.
Winters are moderate, with infrequent cold spells dropping
below freezing only briefly in early morning. The lowest
recorded temperature at the Station is 13 degrees Fahrenheit
(-10.6 degrees Celsius) on 12 January 1982 and 5 January 2001.
Snow was observed for the first time in the history of the
Station on 19 January 1977.
A history of
climatological observations at Archbold Biological Station was
published in the Biennial Report for 1995-1996.
Nancy Deyrup reading the rain gauge at the main grounds weather station, December 2001. Digital photo by Mark
Deyrup.
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