I need basic weather information -- at least one report per day on
temperature, wind direction and speed -- from someplace in
southeastern New England for the period January 7-12, 1866. Can be
from a ship's log, lighthouse keeper's journal, personal diary -- any
generally reliable source. Tip offered if the report gives the lowest
temperature recorded at night during this period.

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Request for Question Clarification by omnivorous-ga on 30 Aug 2004 14:59 PDT

McCook --

An excellent source for the period is the New York Times.  As you may
know, the start of this week was a time of intense cold.  Note that
newspaper weather reports were not nearly as detailed as they are
today.  For example, I can find no temperatures or wind directions for
Jan. 6 -- but then the cold snap provides good HOURLY temperatures in
New York for the 8th.  It also provides a wide range of other cities,
including Boston.

However, by the 9th, when temperatures started to moderate, only New
York's weather is reported.

Let me know if New York is satisfactory.  I'd be glad to subsitute it
with Boston or other locations, if available from the NY Times.

Best regards,

Omnivorous-GA

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Clarification of Question by mccook-ga on 30 Aug 2004 17:14 PDT

Omnivorous,

Sounds good. Please post so I can pay you.

With thanks,
McCook

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Clarification of Question by mccook-ga on 30 Aug 2004 17:15 PDT

Omnivorous,

Forgot to post part of my clarification. Boston temperatures are
better than New York, so let's go with those whenever possible. But
New York will substitute when it isn't.

McCook

Mccook --

As early as Saturday, Jan. 6, 1866 the weather was being reported as
intensely cold, with a report in the New York Times from Poughkeepsie
noting that there is ice blocking the Hudson north of the town.

For Jan. 7 (Sunday), the New York City temperature reached 0 degrees F
at 3 p.m., then continued to fall until 9 p.m., when it was -10 F.  In
Boston, the temperature at sunrise was -5 F and the temperature was
below zero all day with light snow squalls.

For Monday Jan. 8, the New York Times weather station reported the
following temperatures:
6 p.m. 10 F
8 p.m. 4 F
9 p.m. 2 F
10 p.m. 0 F
11 p.m. -2 F
Midnight -2 F

Tuesday, Jan. 9:
1 a.m. -5 F
3 a.m. -7 F

On the 8th, both Boston and Springfield, MA report winds "fresh" and
out of the NW.  At Boston the temperature is 7 F; the harbor is
beginning to ice up.

For Jan. 9 there are no reports from New England, but the New York
temperatures rise all day:
7 a.m. 8 F
Noon 22 F
3 p.m. 30 F
5 p.m. 36 F

On Jan. 10 the weather merits no temperature measurements.   Instead
the reports are of a steamer and two brigs sinking in gale force
storms (and cold) between New York and Boston.  "A heavy northwest
gale has prevailed at sea since last Sunday, which has prevented the
sailing of the steamers Wm. Kennedy, for Baltimore, and Thetis, for
New York.  Both have returned to the city after going as far as
Nantasket Roads.  Several wrecks have occurred at Cape Cod."

By Thursday, Jan. 11, the weather has moderated to the point that it
gets only slight mention in the arrivals and departures of shipping
(which get far more ink).

Again on the 12th, weather has moderated, with the only notes in
shipping logs that winds have been "light" since the 10th.  Today at
sunset they are from the SE but have shifted to NE by 8:30 p.m.

Google search strategy:
Using Proquest Historical newspapers, a fee-based service, to check
weather reported in the NY Times during the period.

Best regards,

Omnivorous-GA

Omnivorous: Thanks for the superb work. Sorry to be slow with the
inevitable five stars.